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THE HORSE AND DOG 



NOT AS THEY ARE 
BUT AS THEY SHOULD BE. 



OLD AND ERRONEOUS THEORIES RELATIVE TO 

THE MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE BROUGHT 

FACE TO FACE WITH THE FACTS OF THE 

NINETEENTH CENTURY. 



i 



V 



6 H. SAMPLE. ^ ;;v '*"^' 



^;- f( utu 2.61B82, 




TOGETHER WITH AN ELABORATE AND SCIENTIFIC 

HORSE-SHOEING ; ALSO, THE ORDINARY DISEASES OF 

HORSES AND DOGS, AND THEIR TREATMENT, 

WITH MANY VALUABLE RECIPES ; 

HOW TO TELL A HORSE'S AGE UP TO 21 YEARS, AND 

A FULL EXPLANATION AS TO HOW HORSES AND DOGS 
ARE TAUGHT NUMEROUS TRICKS. 

105 Illustrations. 



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^O't^^^'':?^ 



C [^ 



Enlercil accordinj,' to Act of Congress, in flic year 1SS2, by II. Sample, in the office 
of tlio Liijrariau of Ccjiiyress at \Vasliing:ton. 



Address Eastern correspondence to H. Sample, tJpland, Delaware Co. , Pa. 
Address Pacific Coast correspondence to H. Sa.mple, San Francisco, Cal. 
Correspondents desirinj; answers will enclose iiastas*) stani;). 



INTRODUCTION. 



In undertaking the production of this woi'k the author 
fully understands the gigantic task he has shouldered. 
There is probably no subject so extensively written upon 
and so little understood as the one in hand. I think the 
public will bear me out in the assertion that there are moi-e 
balky men than balky horses. 

In consideration of the magnitude of the Horse interests 
of this country — the total valuation being seven hundred 
and seventy-one millions nine hundred thousand dollars, 
that valuation of the same number of Horses actually being 
one hundred per cent, less than it would have been had all 
engaged in training and using this useful favorite of all the 
domestic animals — understood thoroughly the arts of train- 
ing, shoeing and iisiug the animal as they should. I feel 
positive that in this treatise I can convince eveiy unpreju- 
diced mind that much that has been wintten upon this sub- 
ject by able authors is erroneous, and is not sustained by 
the pi'actical experience of intelligent men of modern times, 
who will not take mere assertions as truth, unless it is sus- 
tained by the developments of careful and intelligent scien- 
tific and practical observation. 

Having devoted eighteen years of my best days in teaching 
the proper methods ot educating the Horse, and in a field that 
extends from the frozen and lakey regions to the Gulf of 
Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast, I feel 
confident that the knowledge collected will he of great service 
to the Horse world. In connection with the training of the 



4 INTRODUCTION. 

Horse, I will give my full and complete system of telling 
the Horse's age, from the time of foaling up to the age of 
twenty -one years — a system that has given general satisfac- 
tion to the horse-men of the day — together with a complete 
description, in plain language, of the symptoms of the dis- 
eases of the Horse and the most modern and specific reme- 
dies for their treatment. An elaborate essay on horse- 
shoeing, that drew the first piize before the Scottish Society 
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, will be added 
to my work. For the benefit and interest of dog-fanciers, 
I will give a chapter on the diseases, training and education 
of the dog. The author is still canvassing the entire 
country in introducing his new system of training the 
horse, and, at the same time, guarding against impairing 
their physical structure, or shortening their period of 
usefulness and profit. Should I succeed in this, I feel 
that I shall be a benefactor, and thereby secure my 
highest aim. H. SAMPLE. 




PEELIMINARY EEMARKS. 



The Horse is the noblest animal we liave. He assists us 
in all the pursuits of life, guides the peaceful plow, and 
rushes into battle 'mid the roaring of cannon and the clash- 
ing of musketry. He is man's humble and obedient servant 
when pro])erly trained and educated. While he is the most 
serviceable and useful, he is the most abused of any domestic 
animal, as the statistics of the societies for the prevention of 
cruelty to animals will prove. In the most of cases, the 
abuses that are practiced upon him arise from the fact that 
his natural laws and habits are not thoi'oughly understood 
by his manager. 



b PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 

Man is governed by education, while the Horse is gov- 
erned by fixed lav/s and instincts. The general impression 
among men is, that the Horse is a very intelligent animal. 
Under this misapprehension they undertake to manage him 
from an intelligent standpoint. For instance, if the Horse 
stumbles or slips down the whip is applied as an instrument 
of correction ; if he should run away and smash up a valu- 
able vehicle, he is taken by the bit, and in some instances 
the Avhip is used in an inhuman manner, as much as to say, 
"If you run away again I will kill you." If he balks in 
the street or road, the owner or driver, as the case may be, 
gets out of the buggy or wagon and rubs him on the head 
and neck, saying in horse language, " That is right, my little 
fellow, every time you stop I will rub and caress you," 
After waiting some time and getting his horse under way 
again, he jumps to his seat, and begins whipping the poor 
beast in the most cruel and inhuman Avay, saying to the 
horse, by his actions, " Every time you stop when I want 
you to go, I will caress you ; and when you go as I want 
you to, I will whip you." Most likely somebody is on the 
sidewalk laughing at him, and he, man-like, whips his horse 
to show that he is boss. The result is, the horse soon learns 
to stop to be treated kindly, and refuses to go, because he is 
whipped for going. 

The .same ignorance is displayed in the blacksmith shop. 
The horse or colt is led into the shop to be shod, and when 
the smith takes up his foot to prepare it for the shoe, a well- 
directed kick sends him half-way across the shop. The 
owner or groom, standing at the horse's head, rubs and pats 
his neck, saying to his understanding : "That's right, my 
little boy; if he takes hold of your foot again, kick him 
clean out of the shop." The smith, in his anger, attempts 
to punish the horse as he deserves, but the owuev refuses 
and says : 



PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 



"This is my horse. He can kick you as much as he 
pleases, but you cannot punish him; he i& mine, I will 




take him to another shop and let him kick some other smith. 
He must be treated kindly, for this is my way of treating 
horses." 

The proper way to do in a case of this kind would be to 
take the horse and put him thi'ough a regular course of 
instructions before taking him to the blacksmith shop, hand- 
ling his foot and leg in every conceivable manner. If he 
kicks, punish him ; and if he stands quiet and submits, treat 
him with kindness, patting and caressing him ; thus show- 
ing to the horse what you want him to do. We will speak 
more fully upon this subject under its projier heading. 

Another very erroneous idea exists not only in this coun- 
try, but throughout the civilized world, and that is, when 
the hori^e is approached by the owner or groom he must use 
the word " Wjioa ! " when the horse is aL'eady standing per- 
fectly still. If he goes to put the harness on — " Whoa ! " 
if he goes to take the harness off — " Whoa ! " if he goes to 
hitch him up—" Whoa ! " and if he goes to unhitch him — 
"Whoa!" 

In fact, when he mounts, dismount-T, looks at his mouth to 
see how old he is, goes to him when he ia hitched and standing 



8 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 

perfectly still, or approaches Iiim for any purpose whatever, 
the word " whoa " is invariably used. It is used so often 
that it becomes a habit so strong that a man seldom ap- 
proaches the horse without iising it. If a little boy should 
happen to go up to a horse without speaking to him, his 
father would take him to task, and tell him never to go to a 
horse without speaking to him. Tlie little fellow will nat- 
urally say: 

"Well, father, what shall I say?" 

The father instructs him to say "whoa." The boy grows 
up thinking he has had a good teacher, who understands 
the horse, hence he practises what he has been taught, and 
in this way the word " whoa " becomes almost a household 
word. I say this teaching is all wrong. Some one will ask 
the cpiestion: 

'•' "What will you say 1- He will kick if you approach him 
without speaking." 

x\ny thing to give the horse warning of your presence will 
do, such as, " I'm coming, Billy, or Kitty," or any other 
word that you may choose to use. But never, under any 
circumstances, say " whoa " to your horse except he is in 
motion and you want liim to stop. If the writer under- 
stands this word, it means "stop," and nothing more. 

THE HORSE'S EYE. 

Next Ave will call the attention of the reader to the 
Horse's eye. It is generally understood by horsemen that 
if the horse is approached, while in the stall, on the near 
side, he will stand quiet ; whereas, if you go on the oft' side 
he will scpieeze you up against the stall or kick you ; demon- 
strating that he understands you on one side better than he 
does on the other, especially if he is of a high-strung, nerv- 
ous temperament. 



PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 9 

A horse tliat is trained to cai'iy the rider in a circus 
ring, in coming out of the dressing room he will invariably 
turn to the right with the ring-master on his near side. Ho 
will notice every movement of the ring-master's whip and 
perform every requirement with accuracy and promptness. 
If the same horse is taken back into the dressing-room and 
then brought out again into the arena and turned to the left, 
he will be just as awkward, when looking at the ring-master 
with tlae oft' eye, as though he had never been trained at all. 

A colt that is trained to run around a ring at the end of 
a halter, with the trainer on the near side, for some time it 
will be a difiicult task to make him turn and go the other 
way, with the trainer on the off" side. 

This can be illusti-ated in another way. The Indian's 
horse is always mounted from the off" side, and in traveling 
among the Indians we find it a difficult matter to mount 
their horses from the near side, which is the custom with 
the white man. 

The same thing is true of the cow that is accustomed to 
being milked on the off' side. If she is approached on the 
near side, and an attempt is made to milk her, she will start 
off" or kick the bucket over. 

The same thing is true of the ox that is trained to work 
gentle and quiet with the driver on the near side. Now let 
the driver go on the off" side and his commands will not be 
obeyed, but the ox will be as green and stupid as though he 
had not been trained at all, thus proving conclusively to the- 
writer's mind that if we want these animals trained to. 
understand us on either side, we must educate both eyes. 

This peculiarity of the horse I fii"st discovered in per- 
forming with my educated horse, " Tom,." some eighteen 
years ago. One day I accidentally got on his off" side and 
commanded lain to perform a trick that he had performed a 
thousand times while I was on his, near side,, but to my 



10 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 

great astonisliment he refused to do it. After vain endeav- 
ors to force liim to perform the trick, I gave np and 
returned to his near side, and at the first command he per- 
formed the ti'ick as promptly as usual. If the reader is 
still skeptical on this subject, we would advise him to make 
the following experiment: Take any horse that is very much 
afraid of a top-buggy, and hitch him to it, putting on a bridle 
with only one blind, so that he can look back and see the 
top of the buggy with one eye only. Work on him, hitched 
in this way, until he is considered perfectly gentle and quiet; 
then cut the other blind off of the bridle, letting him look 
at the top with the eye that has been covered, and he will 
at once become frightened at the top of the buggy, and at- 
tempt to run away. 

This is not so in the human. When man sees an object 
with one eye only, on looking at the object with the other 
eye he will say, " that is the same," and if a boy is taught 
a lesson at school with one eye closed, when he sees the same 
lesson with the eye that was closed, he will understand it 
to be the same lesson. If we want the horse to understand 
a lesson with both eyes we must educate both eyes. In 
conclusion on this point, I will state for the benefit of the 
reader, that the optic nerve crosses or connects between the 
eyes and the lobes of the brain in the human, while in the 
horse, it goes directly from the near eye to the near lobe of 
the brain, and from the off eye to the off lobe of the brain, 
therefore making no connection between the eyes and the 
lobes of the brain. 

Another false idea prevails in regard to the Horse's eye, 
that it magnifies objects to seven times their real size. 
Hence, a man will appear seven times as large to the Horse 
as he really is, and this gives man the power to control him. 
If this was so, when the Horse was eating corn off the ear, 
or going to bite an apple that was two inches in diameter, 



PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 11 

lie would open liis moiitli fourteen inches to receive it. An- 
other case in point : let a horse see an opening in the stable 
a foot wide and lie will imagine it seven times as large as it 
reallj is, and will attem])t to walk through it. We might 
enumerate scores of instances that supporters of this theory 
might advance in support of their argument, but think the 
above sufficient to illustrate to the reader that the theory is 
incorrect. 

Then again, some peojile will say there is great controlling 
})ower in the eye of man. In fact, while I Avas traveling 
through the Blue Grass Regions of Kentucky, a very 
prominent stock-raiser and })hysician, and a gentleman 
who was highly educated, in conversation with me one 
day in Lexington, stated that he could plainly see how 
I had such control and ])ower over the horse. I had 
Just been teaching a class of gentlemen my art of 
managing horses, and as an experiment for the class, 
I had a very high-strung, nervous horse, tliat was 
very much afraid of an umbrella, and I was swinging it all 
around his head, and he (the horse) stood perfectly quiet 
and gentle, and I remarked to this gentleman : 

" How do you think I got the control of this skittisli 
animal 1 If your ideas are correct I will own up before all 
these gentlemen." The doctor replied : 

" AVhen you took hold of that horse you kept your eye 
right on him, and he saw in your eye that you were detei'- 
mined and not afraid of him. There is great power in man's 
eye." 

In fact, there are hundreds of ])eople who believe the 
Horse, Lion, and the Elephant are controlled by this won- 
derful power in man's eye. For instance, they claim that 
the Lion-tamer, on entei'ing the Lion's den, fastens his gaze 
on the Lion's eyes, by which means he controls the treach- 
erous brute. I admit tliat the Lion-tamer does keep his 



12 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 

eye on the Lion, but in tlie same mannei' that two men in' 
combat eye each other narrowly to anticipate any offensive 
move on the part of the adversary. The Lion-tamer knows 
too well the nature of the animal before him, and for this 
i-eason he keeps his eyes constantly on the Lion to frustrate, 
Avith his club or whip — which he invariably has vith him — 
any otFensive move on the Lion's ])art. If the reader of 
this book is of the opinion that those animals are controlled 
by the eye of man, let him, the first opportunity that offers, 
visit a menagerie and ask ])ermission of the keeper of the 
Lion's den to enter the cage and try the experiment, and 
after having tried the ex2)eriment, I feel satisfied that he will 
become thoroughly convinced that his is a false idea. We 
know exactly how the Lion and the Elephant are tamed 
and trained, and what cruelties and harsh measures are 
resorted to in their education, thereby proving to the satis- 
faction of the author that the eye is not the controlling 
power. 

THE FIVE SENSES OF THE HORSE. 

The Horse has five senses — like the human being — feel- 
ing, seeing, hearing, tasting and smelling. The strongest of 
these five is the sense of feeling, and the ])art he feels with 
is the nose or tip end of the upper li}). This is what he ex- 
amines all his food with, and in fact everything that lie 
wants to understand, and by this means he can understand 
the nature and character of it better than by any other one 
of the senses. For instance, if a horse is afraid of a bufTalo 
robe, or an umbrella, blanket or anything of that kind, when 
you throw it down in a small lot and turn the horse in, he 
may see the article or smell it ; this alone will not sufiice, 
until he goes up and touches it witli liis nose. After doing 
this a few times he Avill become satisfied that it is harmless 
and will not hurt him. Should a little breeze come up and 



PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 13 

move the umbrella, blanket or robe, it will frighten him 
some, because it operates on the sense of sight. We can 
familiarize the horse to any object with one of his senses, 
and that will not be sufficient for the othei-s. We may have 
the horse educated to submit to any object touching him, on 
any part of the body, and if it should be moved quickly about 
him, thei-eby operating on the sense of sight, he will become 
frightened. 

He may submit to the object being moved about him so 
long as it does not touch him, but if the object should touch 
him he is liable to kick or strike. Again, he might be edu- 
cated to submit to have the object touch him or see it in all 
positions, without moving in the least, but should the same 
object make a noise, thereby o^jerating on the sense of hear- 
ing, he will again become frightened. Therefore, if we want 
a horse to understand thiugs thoroughly, we must educate 
all the senses. 

An old gentleman once told me of a horse he owned that 
was perfectly gentle and quiet in " all harness," but would 
become uncontrollable on hearing a noise resembling the 
rattling of nails in a tin can. This bad habit he contracted as 
follows : The owner saddled him up and started for town, 
a distance of some four or five miles. When he got througli 
his shopping and started for home, he re-mounted his horse, 
carrying in his hand a small tin bucket containing a few 
nails. Everything went along smoothly until the hoi-se 
started into a ti-ot. This caused the nails in the bucket to 
rattle and make an unusual noise, which operated on the 
sense of hearing, and the horse took fright and started to 
run away, thereby giving the old gentleman considerable 
trouble. He was finally compelled to throw away the 
bucket and nails in order to pacify the hoi'se. Ever after- 
wards this horse would "et frightened at anvthing on his 



14- PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 

back tliat would make a noise resembling that made by the 
can and nails. 

We could relate numerous similar instances, where horses 
have Ijecome almost useless from l:)eing frightened at some 
particular object, such as a locomotive, steamboat, street 
car, load of hay or covered wagon, etc. 

Another case in point : While traveling through Wis- 
consin, I visited a small village, and while there, sit- 
ting in the hotel, some gentleman came in, who had been to 
a funeral. In conversation with them I learned that the 
deceased, whose funeral they had attended, had been killed 
by his horses having ran away with him. I inquired into 
the particulars concerning his death, with this result : 

On Decoi-ation Day, when the military and citizens 
turned out to do honor and show their respect for the dead 
soldiers, by decorating their graves with beautiful fiowei's, 
the deceased, with his family, in a two-horse wagon, started 
for town. One of his daughters raised a parasol. The 
horse looked back and saw it. He took fright and ran 
away, throwing the deceased and his family out, killing 
him almost instantly and crippling several of the family. 

While I was journeying through North Carolina, a very 
eminent physician was killed by his horse throwing him 
out of the buggy, when going down hill to the ferry-boat. 
The breeching- strap accidently broke. This, of course, let 
the crossbar of the shafts come up against him, and the 
touch frightened him and caused him to run away with the 
above result. 

When passing through the State of Pennsylvania an- 
other accident of this kind was brought to my notice, that 
occurred in Reading. A lady's horse, that was considered 
pei'fectly quiet and gentle, took fright at the smell of a 
slaughter-house, ran away and almost killed the lady. 

The examples of serious accidents I have given tend to 



PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 15 

s^ow the importance of educating the different senses of the 
hoi'se so that such accidents may Ijo prevented. The sense 
of sight shoukl be first attended to, that the animal may be- 
come familiar with ail objects that may come within his 
vision, and nothing will then frighten him, be it steaml)oats, 
cars, odd-looking objects or buffalo i-obe, etc. 

Then again as to the sense of liearing : Accustom your 
horse to all sorts of sounds, that he may not be startled on 
hearing them, which might cause an unusual, awkward or 
sudden move on liis ])art, perhaps straining or breaking 
some jiart of the harness or buggy. 

The sense of feeling sliould he thoroughly educated, so 
that if the shaft bolts drop out, thereby letting the 
shafts down on his heels, he would not become frightened 
at tlie touch, but understand that it would not hurt him. 

Accustom your horse to everything that might tend to 
annoy any one of the senses. Then, and only then, can he 
be considered thoroughly trained to indifferently overlook 
all such annoyances as are likely to fall to the lot of any 
horse in constant use. I will speak at greater length on 
this subject further on. 

In j)resenting this work to the public, I am well aware of 
the criticisms it will be obliged to undergo at the hands of 
horsemen and others. For, no matter how well a subject of 
the magnitude and importance of this one may be presented 
to the people, there will always be found those who will 
differ in their opinions, and are i-eady to severely criticise 
the ideas introduced. 

I am well aware of the difficulties inventors and others 
devoted to progressive theox^ies have encountered in their 
laudable efforts in the advancement of scientific ])rinci])les. 
Professor Morse, in introducing the Avonderful telegraphic 
system, had cold water thrown on his invention by men of 
learning and ability. By way of illustration : The gentle- 



16 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 

men wlio Avei'e chosen from diilerent parts of the United 
States to represent the people in the halls of Congress, in 
1843, we would naturally suppose to be men of much learning, 
intelligence and integrity, who would represent the inter- 
ests of the peojile to the best of their ability. But Profes- 
sor Morse, in presenting his invention before Congress, met 
Avith severe ciiticism and opposition at the hands of those 
gentlemen, and it was not until 1844 that Congress granted 
him a small appropriation for the establishment of a line 
from Baltimore to Washington, a distance of only forty 
miles. 

The result of this little experiment is that the whole civil- 
ized world has become one vast network of teiegi'aph wii-es, 
and it is now considered one of the greatest inventions of 
the age. 

"We look back over the history of railroads, and see the 
first little road that was built in the United States, between 
Schenectady and Albany, New Yori^, distant only sixteen 
miles, traveling at the rate of ten miles an hour, with a sta- 
tionary engine on top of the hill to havil up and lower down 
the small train of cars. We see the engineer, who was im- 
ported from England, with his broad -bi'immed hat and swal- 
low-tailed coat, his barrel of wood and water on the tender 
of the locomotive, and we look on top of the car, and see the 
brakeman seated, with his foot on the brake, ready when 
the wlristle blows " down brakes," looking more like a stage- 
driver in comparison with our brakeman of the present day. 
The small coaches, with seating capacity for six or eight 
persons, look small indeed when compared to our magnifi- 
cent and commodious Pullman Palace sleeping, dining and 
parlor cars, accommodating fifty to sixty persons each, mak- 
ing up a train of a dozen cars or more — all drawn by a sin- 
gle monster locomotive that climbs the snow-capped Rocky 
Mountains with apparently little or no efibrt, bringing the 



PRELIMINARY REMARKS. i / 

Atlantic and Pacific sliores within a few clays' travel of eacli 
other, thus binding and strengthening the bonds between 
our Eastern and Western people. When the first steam- 
boat steamed up the Hudson River, it was looked upon as a 
miracle ; and, as the hundreds of spectators who lined the 
shores, gazed with awe and curiosity at the movements of 
the Avalking-beam. of the craft, many of them concluded the 
end of all things was approaching. 

We next call your attention to the wonderful invention 
of Mr. McGorniick, to whom we are indebted for that very 
ingenious, useful and valuable piece of machinery, the 
reaper and self-binder. See with what opposition his ma- 
chine met with — first, because it was an unheard-of thing ; 
and again, l^ecause the laborer saw how it would do the 
work of many men at comi)aratively a small cost. They 
even went so far as to intimidate the fai-mers who had pur- 
chased a mower, threatening to demolish it on sight. The 
reaper of that day was a heavy, cumbersome thing, necessi- 
tating the employment of four strong horses to haul it through 
the grain, whereas now they have so much improved, sim- 
plified and lightened, at the same time increased its useful- 
ness, that two ordinary horses will walk through the fields 
of standing grain, cutting, binding and throwing the straw 
in rows, ready to be picked up by the farmer. 

By these few instances mentioned, it will be readily 
seen by the reader that all new and progressive att6m]">ts at 
improvement have invariably met with the seA'erest crit- 
icism, opposition and condemnation. 

The author being aware that he is advancing many new, 
original and scientific ideas i-elating to horses, anticijiates 
much criticism ; but is confident from his long and vaiied 
experience, that if the reader will properly consider and ex- 
periment with the methods recommended in this work, lie 
will be ready to accord them the credit justly duo their 
merit. 



18 PKELIMINARY REMARKS. ^ 

We are familiar with the various methods employed by 
the numerous liorse-trainers thi-oughout the United States 
and Europe. Such men as the justly celebrated Rai^ey, who 
went to Europe and tamed the Adcious horse Cruiser, and 
afterwards brought liim to the United States, exhibiting 
liim on the stage in all the principal cities, creating no little 
excitement and curiosity by his many ])erformances. 

We also have a very high opinion of the widely known and 
highly esteemed horse-trainer E,. H. Rockwell, wlio drove 
his educated horses. Star and Tiger, without lines, bits or 
bridle, through the streets of all the principal cities of the 
United States and Canada, attracting the attention and ad- 
miration of all persons who witnessed his wonderful per- 
formance. 

We might mention numerous other inferior horse-trainers 
who have b(>en traveling throughout the United States, teach- 
ing various methods and systems of training horses, and 
could give every strap rope and appliance used for the sulyuga- 
tion of the horse, from the days of Sullivan, the Irish Whis- 
pei-er, down to the present day, but this Avould take up too 
much of the reader's time to no purpose. 

The author will do away with all these patent bits, bri- 
dles and appliances, and show that the wildest and most 
vicious horse can he managed Avith a common, ordinary 
set of harness, such as is used ordinarily on the farm, in the 
livery stable, or by private individuals. 

In examining the woi-ks of the celebrated gentlemen we 
have just mentioned, and various other writers on the sub- 
ject of managing horses, I find their universal opinion to 
be that the horse is a very inielligent animal, and they liave 
endeavored to manage and control him from an intelligent 
standpoint. 

Now the writer will endeavor to prove that if the horse 
had half as much sense as is attributed to him, he would 



PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 19 

kick the heads ofi" of more than one-half of the people who 
undertake to manage him. We will endeavor to prove be- 
fore we get through that the horse is a machine to a certain 
extent, and is controlled and managed the same in the hands 
of a good horseman as the locomotive is controlled by a 
skillful locomotive engineer, with one exception, to manage 
and control the locomotive, we must have an artificial motive 
power, while the horse has been supplied by nature with 
motive power. In order to make a horse start, stop, turn 
to the right or left, in fact to go where and when we want 
him to, we must undei-stand how to control him. 

We put the bridle on, with the bit in his mouth, take 
hold of the lines, })ulling to the right or left, according to 
the way we want him to go. And when the horse is trained 
and educated properly, he will obey every command, and he 
has not the intelligence to resist our control. 

The horse is eight times sti'onger than man, and had he 
the intelligence to resist our commands, we could do noth- 
ing with him. 

In order for a man to be able to manage a locomotive, he 
must be educated and taught how it should be done pi'op- 
erly, and in accordance with the structure and purposes for 
Avhich the machine was constructed. He must know how 
and when to start, stop, slacken or increase the speed ; when 
to feed it with fuel and water, and how much to give it, 
otherwise serious results may follow. 

The same remarks will apply to the intelligent handling 
of the horse. To fully control his every movement, and 
guide his footsteps, the man must fii^st be taught the best 
methods of getting control of the animal — to learn his weak 
or strong points, that he may take advantage of them to 
impress certain things or acts on the horse's mind. He 
must learn the cause and effect of every movement of the 



20 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 

horse, and tlie most likely impressions caused hy certain 
methods of training. 

The locomotive engineer thoroughly understands every 
part of his engine and the relation of each part to the others^ 
and the effect of any effort on his part to guide and control 
it. So must the man be educated to understand the horse's 
natural laws that govern him, and devise means and adopt 
plans to overcome him and make him vs^hat he was intended 
to be — man's Immble and obedient servant. While man has 
the power to manage and control this noble animal, he should 
not abuse it in the way and manner in which some cruel and 
unprincipled men do, 1)y hitching him to loads too heavy for 
him to draw, and whipping and abusing him because he is 
unable to pull it — thus getting his horse balked — and driv- 
ing him to death because he is willing to go ; hitching him 
in the hot sun or in the cold and bleak winds — sometimes 
in severe storms without blanket or covering — while, ])er- 
haps, the owner or driver is snugly housed and warmly clad. 

If the horse was intelligent he would not submit to this 
treatment, but would break his halter or bridle and seek a 
place of sheltei-. 

In 1880 the writer was in Chicago, engaged in teaching 
his system of handling the Horse. His attention was called 
to one of the most cruel and outrageous performances that 
was ever permitted to go on in a civilized community. 
O'Leary, the celebrated pedestrian, and Jack Haverly, the 
well-known minstrel man, erected, on a large lot at Lake 
Front, an immense tent — the largest, perhaps, ever put up 
in Chicago — for the purpose of conducting a go-as-yoii-please 
race of horses against men, lasting six and a half long days 
and nights. 

While the men were allowed to go as they pleased, rest- 
ing v>^hen they felt so disposed, the poor, siiffering dumb 
brutes were comi>elled to go as their masters dictated. One 



PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 21 

of the horses died before the conclusion of the race, and 
another died shortly afterwards. Their deaths were caused 
by the cruelties practiced on them with whip and spur, and 
by heartless driving beyond nature's limit. There were five 
or six horses entered in this race, and at the conclusion the 
poor animals were completely exhausted and broken down. 

We have no objections to men Avalking themselves to 
death if they feel so disposed, but we have a very serious 
objection to the forcing of horses into these unnecessary and 
unprofitable exhibitions. 

We will here take occasion to remark that, had these 
horses been possessed of one-half the sense, reasoning power 
and intelligence that is generally accorded them, they would 
most assuredly have rebelled against such brutal treatment 
as they experienced during this race, and demolished the 
canvas, dispersed the spectators who, by their presence, en- 
couraged such brutality, and kicked the heads oif the 
managers. 

This outrageous performance was allowed to go on, undis- 
turbed, under the eye of the Society for the Prevention of 
Cruelty to Animals. 

We could relate instances without number, to sustain our 
argument on this point, that had the horse the intelligence 
credited to him he would never submit to the treatmejit he 
receives at the hands of many who are engaged in hand- 
ling, driving and working him. We are convinced that 
the above will clearly illustrate our ideas to the careful 
reader. 

A great many i)eople mistake the natural instinct of the 
horse for intelligence. 

Should night overtake a horse in the woods or thicket, at 
a ])lace where he had never been Ijefore, his natural instincts 
will guide him home ; whereas, if an intelligent man be 
placed in the same pi'edicament, the chances would be in 



22 PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 

favor of his wandering aimlessly about all night and per- 
haps all day, until he found some person to direct him on 
his Avay. 

If a hoi'se and man are on a sinking steamboat on the 
river, during a dark night, and both are obliged to seek 
safety, the horse will boldly strike ovit and swim to the 
nearest land, while the man may be a good swimmer, yet if 
he cannot see the shore, even if it be within easy reach of 
him, is as likely to swim into the middle of the channel as 
he is to go to the land. 

A little ])ig placed in a sack, and taken in a buggy some 
five or six miles from home, if it should accidentally get 
loose will i-eturn, even if it has to swim rivers and cross 
ditches to do so. 

A man with all his intelligence, if taken away from any 
place under the same circumstances and in a strange locality, 
could never return to tlie original starting point without i"e- 
ceiving aid from some one or by the use of scientific instru- 
ments . 

The bee, in wandering miles from its hive, gathering 
honey from flower to flower, on securing a goodly store of 
sweets, takes a direct course to its hive, or, as generally 
spoken of, makes " a bee-line for home." 

Man with all his intelligence, education and scientific 
acquirements, even had he wings and was able to fly like 
the bee, could never find his way home in a direct line, as 
does the little busy bee. From this, we hold that man, 
with all liis attainments and acquired knowledge, is unable 
to perform the mysterious feats that the horse, hog, bee, 
and we might mention hundreds of other animals, fowls, 
insects, etc., go through every day. 

But we must not lose sight of our main subject, and will 
return to the education and traininsr of the horse. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HOKSE. 



HOW TO BREAK A COLT PROPERLY. 

The first important consideration in the management of a 
colt, is the proper selection of a yard, con-al, or lot, clear of 
all obstacles that would be at all liable to injure him, 
and also to have a fence around the i)lace of proper strength 
and heigh th to prevent him from jumping out. 

We would suggest that the yard or corral be some thirty- 
five or foi'ty feet square, if convenient. 

If the colt is domesticated and halter -broke, lead him into 
this lot or corral. Prepare yourself with a pole some ten or 
twelve feet long, from an inch to an inch and half in diame- 
ter, made of hickory, ash, or any hard, tough wood, sandpa- 
pered smooth. 

If he is not halter-broken, drive him into the corral with 
other stock, then turn out all the others. 

Take one end of the pole in both hands. Now ])roceed to 
handle the colt with the other end. This at first may scare 
or excite the colt very much — but get him in one corner of 
the corral. Then reach out your pole and touch the neck 
or withers as though it was your own hand. We can do 
this, knowing that if the colt should kick or strike, the 
trainer will be ten or twelve feet away from him, and will 
not get hurt. 

Handle and touch him with this wooden hand until ho 
becomes reconciled to the sense of touch. As the colt he- 
comes more docile, the trainer can keep ruljbiug and touch- 



24 MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 

ing liini on tlie neck with the pole, and gradually approach 
clorser and closer as the colt gets used to being touched. 

If lie should whirl and attempt to kick, handle him a lit- 
tle roughly with the end of the ])ole, and get him into the 
corner again, and proceed as before, rul:>]}ing him on top of 
the neck with the pole until he will allow you to approach 
close enough to enal^le you to place your hand on him, being 
careful not to reach out your hand too quickly for fear of 
frightening him by the sudden motion of the hand. 

Remember all this time that the colt does not understand 
■what you are going to do. "When you succeed in getting 
your hand on him, rub him very gently and quietly until 
you can rub about the liead and neck. Do this for some 
little time, then take a common five-ring leather halter, and 
place it on the colt's head quietly and easily. 

Be careful, in placing the strap over his neck, to do it 
very gently, so that it will not strike his neck, causing him 
to jump and escape. 

When the lialter is on him, take hold of it and draw his 
head toward you slowly, ruljbing the colt with the right 
hand along his side and back until you can get it back near 
the tail. 

Be careful all the time that the colt does not whirl and 
kick at you. As soon as the colt will submit to this, catch 
liim by the hair of the tail with your right hand, holding 
firmly to the halter with the left hand at the same time. 
This will bring liim into a cii'cling 2)Osition, and cause him 
to move around. Give him a few quick swings around, 
holding firmly to the head and tail. This will soon make 
him dizzy ; then slacken up a little on the tail and he will 
stop. 

Then tie a single knot in the hair of the tail, draw it 
tight and hold the knot firmly in your right hand ; divide 
the hair evenly l)etween the knot and the end of the tail with 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 



25 



the fingers of tlie left liand ; slip tlie lead of tlie halter be- 
tween the hair of the tail, and draw the head and tail together, 
or near enough to get his body in a circling position, making 
the halter fast to the tail with a half hitch, and let him go. 
[See cut No. 1.] 




No. 1. 

But be careful at first not to tie liim up too tight, as this 
will cause him to whirl around \ery fast and make him fall 
down, which is unnecessaiy. 

Use your judgment according to the horse you are operate 
ing on. If he is higli-strung and of a nervous tempera- 
ment, it will not be necessaiy to tie him as short as if he 
was of a dull, stupid disposition. 

Wlien the colt is fixed in this position — -head and tail — 
his strength is divided against itself. The more he [)ulls 
with his head on the halter, the more he pulls liis own tail. 
He will soon learn to stand hitched, and we are sure that a 
colt hitched in this way will never learn the bad habit of 
breaking the lialter. 

The philosophy of this system is to inipress the colt at 
once with the fact that he cannot In-eak loose. 

He can lie down, walk about, run around, etc., still he is 
hitched and can't get loose. 



26 MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 

The natural instinct of the colt is to pull upon anything 
that may be placed on liis head or neck, and we take this 
method of putting pressure on the head. 

The next duty of tlie ti'ainer, after the horse has submit- 
ted to this treatment and has learned to stand perfectly still, 
is to take the pole used in tlie first instance, holding on to 
one end and handling the colt with the other. This may 
start him to going again. [See cut No. 2.] 




No. 2. 

We now want to operate on the sense of feeling, and liy 
having this pole touch liim while he is going around, he will 
soon find out that it will not hurt him, and will stop as be- 
fore. 

The object in view, in handling the colt with the pole, is 
to accustom him to being touched all over. If he should 
kick or strike, do not be alarmed, but keep the end or side 
of the pole touching him on some part of the body all the 
time. While he is going around, handle his front and hind 
legs with this pole, being careful at the same time not to 
hurt him. 

It will take from three to five minutes to a(!Custom the 
colt to being handled all over with the pole. 

This will prepare the colt for the harness. Now, while 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 27 

lie is still under the influence of this whirling around, un- 
fasten his head and tail and put on the harness as quick as 
possible. 

The colt will stand perfectly quiet for two reasons — first, 
because he is dizzy from whirling around ; and, second, be- 
cause he has been touched all over with the pole, and the 
touch of the strap or harness will not frighten him. 

I use a common set of harness, with a common jointed 
bit. Have the bit as large as possible, so as not to cut and 
scar the colt's mouth. 

Put the harness on the colt and tie the traces into the 
ring of the breeching, and instead of putting the lines 
through the rings on the saddle, put them through the shaft 
tugs and fasten them to the bit, using long lines, so as to be 
out of range of the colt's heels — never using any check-rein 
in breaking a colt. 

Now you ai'e ready to teach your colt to guide. 

The lines should be placed in this manner, so as to give 
us a leverage power on the side of the colt, to force him to 




No. 3. 



the I'ight or left. Instead of attempting to make liim go 
straight ahead, first teach him to turn readily to the right or 
left. (See cut No. 3.) 

Instead of pulling on the lines slow and steady, pull with 



28 MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 

a quick jerk on one line, turning the liorse halfway around, 
then reverse. This will teach him quickly that he niust 
come around when you pull on the line. Then let him go 
straight ahead or around the corral. Every little while turn 
him around quick and short, forcing him to go the other 
>vay. When he turns easily and readily by a pull on the 
line, then he is ready to be taught to stop and start at your 
command. 

While he is walking or trotting around the corral, say 
" Whoa ! " Of course he will not understand what this 
means. Then pull up sharply and quickly on both lines. 
Repeat this until the colt will stop at the word " whoa." 
This will generally take from five to ten minutes. 

Secondly, you want to teach your colt to start promptly 
as well as to stop ; this you can do by touching him sharply 
on the heels with the whip. Always use common sense in the 
use of the whi^) and do not slash and welt him all over the 
body.. You had better have no whij) at all than to use it 
injudiciously. 

When you command a horse to move forwaid never re- 
peat the command, and if he refuses to start promptly then 
touch him keenly on the heels with the Avhip. 

Now, your colt is taught to turn to the right or left, and 
stoj:) readily at the word of command. And when he does 
stop go up to his side quietly and gently, pat and I'ub him, 
showing to him that when he obeys your command you will 
treat him kindly, and if he refuses to obey, you will punish 
him by jerking the lines. 

The next operation with the colt will be to get him ac- 
customed to the sound or crack of the whip. 

This you can do in a very few minutes by taking hold of 
the end of the lines in one hand, cracking and snapping the 
whip with the other. Allow mc to say here, that your lines 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 



29 



should be sewed together and not buckled, as the buckle will 
have a tendency to tear and cut your hands. 

Every time the colt stai'ts forward jerk sharply on the 
lines, and he will soon learn to stand quietly while the whip 
is being cracked about him. 

Every time he stands quietly while you are cracking the 
whi[), approach and caress him. 

When this is accomplished and you can hold him with 
perfect ease, we have another lesson to impart to him. 

Let your assistant take hold of the long pole and stand 
in the centre of the corral, while you drive the colt around 
him. Have your assistant touch him quickly on any part 
of the body with the end or side of the pole. (See cut No. 4.) 




This will represent some break-down, and be very likely 
to frighten and startle the colt again. 

Stop the colt as soon as possible, keeping your assistant 
still touching him lightly with the eud of the \m\e. Start 
up your colt again, and repeat this until he suljmits to being 
touched with the pole. 

While he is in motion, walking around the corral, touch 



30 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 



bim lightly with the pole on the legs and belly, getting him 
accustomed to being touched all over. 

This lesson is to prepare him for receiving the shafts, and 
he should be handled thoroughly with the pole in every 
place where the shafts and cross-bar would be likely to 
boucli him, even in the case of an accident, as this treatment 
is really to guard against accidents that may occur at any 
time after he is hitched up. 

Always be sure that you can hold your colt when he is 
excited or frightened. 

Most any person can hold a colt that will not iiy to get 
away; but yoii want to )j8 able to hold him wlien he is try- 
ing his best to get away. 

After the colt has suljmitted to all of the al)ove treat- 
ment and goes along Icindly and gently, it would .seem as 
though he was ready to be hitched iij?. 

You will bear in mind, however, that thus far the colt's 
senses have been but partially educated. Now take an old 
tin can of any kind that will make a noise; tie it to the hair 
of his tail and allow it to drag behind him, so as to accus- 
tom him to the rattling of a wagon or any other iioise likely 
to be made while he is on the road. (See cut No. 5.) 




No. 5. 



Drive him around on a walk at first, then in a trot. If 
lie attempts to run away, stop him as quickly as possible, and 
brini-- him to a walk again. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 31 

Repeat this lesson until the colt has become familiar with 
the noise made hy the tin can tied to his tail. 

Always have the can tied far enough from his heels so 
it will not l:)ecome tangled ahout his legs. 

The next lesson to teach the colt will he that of becoming 
accustomed to the sig^ .t of an umbrella, or anything likely 
to meet his gaze suddenly on the street and frighten him. 

This can be done in a few minutes, by letting your assist- 
ant take an umbrella, opening it suddenly in front of him 
while you are driving him around the corral. 

It he whirls and attempts to run away, straighten him up 
quickly with your lines and make him go past the umbrella. 

Repeat this until he becomes accustomed to the sight of 
the umbrella. Then we have him educated to understand 
the sight, touch and sound. 

This lesson will be sufficient for the first day. 

If the colt, during this training, should get into a profuse 
perspiration before i)utting him away, it is essential that he 
should be " scraped out " and rubbed perfectly diy, and 
good care taken to prevent his catching cold. 

The next day, take tlie colt into the corral and harness 
him, and commence to train where you left off, driving him 
around, testing him with the pole and can. 

If he IS easily handled and managed, after handling him a 
few minutes, he will be ready to hitch into tlie shafts or 
along-side of another horse, as the trainer may think best. 

We always i)refer hitching them in shafts first while in 
the training yard. 

Wliere the colt ishitched to the cart as explained in another 
part of this book, you will see the breeching strap is not 
fastened, l:)ut hanging loose, as represented in cut No. 6. 
This is done so that the cross-bar of the shafts will touch 
him when he stops, in fact, when you put the colt in the 
shaft for the first time you should allow the cross-bars to 



32 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 



touch liim, and if it seems to alarm him, he needs more train- 
ing with the pole before he is hitched in to prepare liim id 
receive this unusual touch without becominsj friohtened. 




No. c. 

A colt handled this way for one houi* — say, half an hour 
each day, will be better broken and safer than if handled in 
a gentle, quiet, easy manner for six months. 

We believe that it is necessary to test the colt in every 
conceivable manner before risking pur lives behind him in a 
buggy or a wagon. 

On the same piinciple, the boiler on a steamboat is tested 
by the Government Inspectoi', by putting on a cold-water 
pressure before getting up steam, to ascertain whether the 
boiler has the requisite strength to resist the pressure 
brought to bear on it by futui;e use. 

If it will stand the cold-water pressure, which is greater 
than that produced by steam, the Inspector ])ronounces it 
safe, and then, and not until then, will the owners be per- 
mitted to get up steam and run the vessel. 

On the same principle, we consider it safer to " test the 
colt " in every conceivable manner to guard against serious 
accidents that are likely to occur eveiy day with a colt that 
is handled in the old-fashioned way. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HOUSE. 33 

When the trainer has hitched the colt up, and is driving 
him on the road, it will l^e necessary, for a few days, to 
watch his every movement closely. 

If he should attempt to kick, i-un, or do anything that is 
objectionable to the trainer, punish him with the bit, and he 
will soon learn to act right, because he is i)unished only 
when lie does wrong. 

A colt will often kick, strike or Ijite as a means of ])ro- 
tection to himself, and not l^ecause he is naturally vicious ; 
and the trainer must remember that the colt was not made 
for the harness, but the harness Avas made for the colt. 

There are a great many ])eople under the impression that 
the colt was made for the saddle, liarness and bridle. This 
is a mistaken idea. The saddle, harness and bridle were 
made for the colt, and when we put them on liim, we vio- 
late the laws of nature, and as self-jn-eservation is one of 
the laws of nature, the colt may kick or attem2>t to run, in 
order to protect himself. 

In order to illustrate this, we will .say : 

If a fly should alight on the horse's neck he will shake 
his head to remove it ; if it alights on his breast he will i)ut 
his mouth down to l)ite it off ; should it alight on the side 
of his body, he will put his head around to do the 
same thing ; if on his front leg, he will stamp his foot 
on the ground quickly ; if it alights on his rump, he will 
switcli his tail and sometimes kick up ; if on the hind leg,, 
he will kick with his hind foot to remove it. 

If we take a pin and ])rick him lightly, he Avill do the 
same as he did to remove the fly. 

So that should any other object touch him he is likely to 
do the same in order to jirotect himself. Hence the neces-. 
sity of accustoming the colt to the sense of feeling, hearing 
and seeing, as directed in the preceding lesson.. 

The writer is of the o}>iniou that every colt and horse, let 



34 MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 

him be ever so gentle, should be drilled as directed in the 
above lesson. 

While operating with a very bad kicking horse in Peru, 
Indiana, after driving him around in the cart a few min- 
utes, standing upon the axle-tree and holding the kicking 
horse by the tail (see cut No. 7, p. 39), one of the members of 
my class, a well-known banker, said he did not believe his 
horse would stand to be driven that way. I invited liim to 
bring his horse out the next day before the class, and I 
wotild try him. This horse was considered very quiet and 
gentle, but the banker Avanted to have the pressure put on, 
so he bi'ought him out the next day, and, after giving the 
horse a thorough training according to my method, the 
banker said : 

" I always thought he was gentle, biit now I know it." 

A Pennsylvanian with whom I was personally acquainted, 
who was considered a good horseman, and who employed a 
careful, pains-taking young man, concluded to break his 
colt. 

The farmer directed his man John to be very kind, easy 
and gentle with the colt, and not to let him step over the 
traces, nor to have the singletree touch him, for fear of 
frightening and caiising him to run away. 

John followed all the directions given concerning the man- 
agement of the colt, never even allowing him to step over 
the traces, nor letting the singletree, or any ])ortion of the 
harness, hang loosely and strike him. If John, while driv- 
ing the colt, saw any unusual object on the roadside, he 
would take particular pains to drive out of sight of the ob- 
ject, for fear of the colt becoming frightened at the sight 
of it. 

He would also take special care never to approach the 
railroad depot or flour mill, for fear the unusual noise and 



MANAGEMENT OF THE IIOKSE. 35 

rattling of the cars and miachinerv would startle the colt, 
causing- him to attempt to I'un for home, and perhaps l>reak- 
ing the cart. 

In fact, John wonld never ])ermit the colt to approach 
an object near enough to understand the nature of it, nor 
to have the harness or tugs touch him aljout the feet or be- 
tween his legs, to })revent any lialnlity of his kicking. 
Neither would he let him go near any i)lace or object where 
he would hear any unusual noise. 

Having handled and driven the colt in this gentle and 
careful, old-fashioned manner for about a yeai', the old gen- 
tleman considered him })erfectly broken, and as being a 
kind and safe animal that had never yet kicked or lan 
away. 

The following season he had another colt to break and 
John was given the task. 

The first colt broken, being considered thoroughly trained, 
was given to a new hand to do ])lowing with. 

This colt accidentally stepjied over the tug, by which act 
the tug was forced against the inside of his legs, where as 
yet he had never l)een toiiclied by any ol>ject. 

The consecpience of his being touched in this \inhandled 
part, was that he got frightened, and, ol)eying the impulse 
of his nature, kicked out at the ol)jectionable tug in self 
preservation, and started ofl' at a run to free himself from 
liis imaginary danger. 

The old gentleman, on seeing the fleeing horse with fi'ag- 
ments of the harness dangling about him, was naturally 
amazed to see the colt that during all the year in Avhich he 
had been handled and driven by John, and had never shown 
a disposition to kick or run away, acting in such a manner. 

He had been impressed with the idea that the colt was 
perfectly trained and gentle. 

His next thought on seeing the frightened steed, Avas to 



3^6 MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 

abuse ne unfortunate man who had been using liim, and 
blaming him for the damage done, which he himself Avas 
really to blame for. 

Had the colt been put through the pi^eparatory course of 
training which I have suggested vmder the head of " How to 
Break a Colt Properly," he never would have become fright- 
ened and kicked himself free from the plow, injuring his 
limbs, learning a bad trick, and causing other damage. 

Many would agree with the old gentleman in thinking it 
was the carelessness of his man, in letting the colt step over 
the trace, which caused this accident and all the trouble. 

The writer will at once proceed to place the l:)lame where 
it justly belongs — on the old gentleman. 

He should have said to John : 

" John, I knoio you are a good horseman ; take this colt 
out in the lot, put the harness on him, and accustom him to 
everything before you hitch him up — -or, in other words, 
' Sample-ize ' him, by putting things l^etween his legs, 
tying tin-cans to his tail, fire-crackers, or anything that 
would have a tendency to frighten him." We are fully 
satisfied, had this been done, the accident would never have 
occurred from the colt's simply stepping OA^er the trace. 

A RUNAWAY HORSE. 

First find out, if possible, what caused him to run away; 
and Avhen the trainer has found out, take him into the lot 
or corral and tie him, head and tail, with the halter, and 
handle him with the ])ole, as directed in the lesson for 
training the colt. Whatever has been the cause of his 
running away will frighten him the most ; so that it Avill 
be necessary to operate more on this point than any of 
the others ; and wlien he suljmits to the sense of feeling, 
seeing and hearing, put the harness on as directed in 



MANAGEMENT OP THE HORSE. 37 

tlie lesson on the colt, and handle him in the same 
manner as the colt was handled, until you can hold him 
by the lines with i)erfect ease, while the assistant is exciting 
him with the pole, umbrella, or any other object which 
would have a tendency to make him run away. 

The trainer will remember that it will be necessary to get 
the mouth so that he can hold him with perfect ease before 
undertaking to excite him to resistance. 

At this point we will state that there is no man who can 
hold a horse by main strength ; hence the necessity of giving 
him tliorough training with the lines and bit, as directed in 
the training of the colt's naouth. 

Teach the horse to start and stop well, even under excite- 
ment, and repeat this lesson two or three times before hitch- 
ing him up. 

In ordinary cases this will take from thirty to forty min- 
utes, to give the horse a good lesson — always being careful 
to take good care of your horse on concluding your lesson. 

KICKING HORSED. 

^ A kicking horse is one of the most dangerous horses we 
have, and in a very bad case is consideie 1 almost worthless. 

While I was traveling through Richmond, Virginia, a 
very ugly kicking mare was Ijrought to me, that had been 
traded from stable to stable until she was considered as 
worth very little money. 

A gentleman — one of my scholars — asked me one day if 
I thought she could be l)roke, and I replied : 

" Yes — certainly she can." 

I think she was one of the worst mares I ever came across 
in my travels of over eighteen years. 

I gave her a short lesson, lasting thirty minutes, every 
day for a week, and some of my scholars began to talk as 
though my plans would not work on her. 



38 MANAGEMENT OP THE HORSE. 

On tlie .seventh day she gave up, and I told the ownei- to 
take her and hitch her iip and drive her, which he did. 

He drove her himself for aboiit one week. I stayed in 
Richmond four weeks, and when I left there his man was 
driving her all over the city, delivering groceries. 

Another had kickei-, in Virginia, I met at Woodstock, 
where I formed a class. 

The subject furnished me to handle was a gray horse, fif- 
teen years old, that the owner told me had been kicking all 
his life, and had been traded around from one horseman to 
another, until it was considered impossible to drive him 
in harness. 

We commenced with this horse about four o'clock in the 
afternoon, Ijefore the class, and worked with him until six 
in the evening. Myself and assistant woi'ked on him 
fiiithfully, using our best efforts, and some of the class went 
off with the impression, when we adjourned at six o'clock, 
that he could never be broken. 

The owner of the horse, a hotel-keeper, and others who 
were deeply interested, turned out again the next morning 
to see us handle the horse. 

When we commenced on him — after putting on the har- 
ness — every time we would touch him with the pole he 
would kick, and every time he would kick we would punish 
him with the bit, until finally, after a hard fight of two 
hours, resting occasionally to get our wind, he quit kicking, 
to the great astonishment of all present except myself and 
assistant. 

We drove the horse, without breeching, to a two-wheeled 
cart, standing on the axle and holding the horse by the tail. 
[See cut No. 7.] 

Eveiy time we stopped him, the cross-bar of the shafts 
Avould bump up against him. This was in the fall of 1876, 
during the Presidential campaign. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 



39 



I was advertised to perform at Stanton the next day, and 
had to leave Woodstock. 

While in Stanton, I got a letter from the owner of the 
gray kicking horse of Woodstock, stating that he had driven 
the horse, with his family in the wagon, and if I would re- 
turn to Woodstock he would give me a certificate that would 
carry me triumphantly through the valley. 

I relate these two extreme cases for the purpose of en- 
couraging the trainer, should he meet with such brutes as I 
have mentioned. 

No matter how mean and obstinate they may be, you can 
conquer them by persevering in this treatment, and the 




No. 7. 

average kicking horse, by this treatment, can be controlled 
in from thirty to forty minutes. 

We could mention hundreds of such cases, but have se- 
lected these two because they were the worst we have met 
in all of our travels. 

The horses above mentioned should receive the same 
treatment as recommended for the breaking of the colt. 

In fact, there is but one way to break a horse of any bad 
habit in harness, and that is to treat him kind and gently 
when he does all that we requii-e of him, and punish him 
when he refuses. 



40 MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 

BALKY HORSES. 

The balky horse is the one that will tiy the horssman's 
skill, power, ability, and temper more than all the kicking, 
runaway, bucking, striking, biting, and shying horses, or 
any other kind of horse that we can think of. 

There are several kinds of balky horses. 

There are those that will not go in any harness, light or 
heavy. 

Then, again, there ai-e horses willing to go in a light ve- 
hicle, but will refuse to pull an ordinary load. There are 
some that are hard to start from the stable or lot, but will 
go along all day after they are started; there are horses 
willing to go straight ahead on a road, but if you wish to 
turn them to the right or left, they will stop — these \ye call 
"bridle balkers." 

In fact, any horse is a balky horse when he refuses to go 
when and where we direct him to go. To break him and 
make him a true and valuable horse, we will begin with 
him the same as though he was a green colt, and put him 
through the same training and lessons as are directed in 
breaking the colt, always being careful to keep the point we 
gain in woi'king with him, until we have the complete mas- 
tery over him on that point, never expecting him to pull all 
he is able to at the first lesson, but beginning with a light 
load, and gradually increasing it until he gains confidence 
in himself. Then he will pull all that any ordinary horse 
ought to pull. 

The first point to be gained with a balky horse in giving 
him his lesson, is to teach him to start and stop, turn to the 
right or left, go forward or backward at the command of 
the trainer. This you want him to do before you hitch him 
to the cart. And when you do liitch him in, be careful not 
to have the cart too heavy. A two-wheel cart is the best. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 41 

The kind of cart I use in liitcliing tlie colt or liorse, to tlie 
Jirst time, is simply two wheels and an axle, without any 
seat, and a good paii' of buggy or express- wagon shafts. 
This cart will be illustrated in Cut No. 7, page 39, showing 
the breaking of the colt. 

We never use this cart except in the training-yard, and 
then for the purpose of getting the colt used to shafts and 
load. 

We can teach the horse to pull by strapping one of the 
wheels to the shaft, after he goes well with the wheels loose. 
Sometimes we fasten both wheels in this way, and we can 
increase the weight as we feel disposed, by tying an empty 
sack to the axle, and throwing in a shovel or two of sand or 
dirt at a time, in proportion to the amount that the horse 
will draw. In this way, the wheels being locked, we can 
make as heavy a load as is necessary, by adding sand and 
diii; to the sack. Stop and start the horse often while 
hitched in this way, always encouraging him by kind treat- 
ment when he obeys promptly. 

When you come to a hill, or any place where the horse 
refuses to go, after making a short effort to stai-t him, should 
he still refuse, take him right out of the cart or vehicle, put 
the lines through the shaft-tugs and drive him up and down 
the hill and all around the place he refuses to pass with the 
cart. 

By jiassing the lines through the shaft-tugs you are able 
to keep his head from j^ou and his tail toward you, thus 
preventing him from turning around and twisting the lines 
out of your hands. Should you leave the lines through the 
rings of the saddle as they were when you were driving 
in the cart, he would perhaps whirl ai'ound and twist the 
lines aromid his body and out of your hands, and in some 
cases get away and give you considerable trouble. 

While in Chambei-sburg, Penn., a very eminent physi- 



42 MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 

cian brought a balky horse to me to have him broke. After 
giving the horse one lesson, my assistant was driving him 
on the road hitched to a buggy, and he stojiped at the foot 
of a hill, refusing to go any further. 

He took the horse out of the shafts and fixed the lines 
as directed above, and drove him up and down the hill 
several times. At this moment the doctor happened to 
come along and asked him what he was doing with the horse. 
He replied : 

'^ I can manage the horse better than I can the horse and 
buggy, hence I leave the buggy on the roadside until I can 
get the horse to go without it. In other words, if the horse 
refuses to go when there is no buggy hitched to him, there 
is no use to hitch him to it. Always break your horse first 
and the buggy afterwards, and never undertake to break 
the horse and buggy at the same time." 

In conclusion, we would say that this is the simplest and 
most lasting way to manage a balky horse. 

We could give various methods for starting the horse as 
laid down by other trainers, but to start a horse when he is 
'' balked," or to make him pull at one time, will not make 
him start or pull at all times. 

We must be able to teach the horse that he is what he 
was intended to be, man's willing and obedient servant at 
all times and places and under all circumstances. 

In a figurative way of expressing it, we must make him 
believe that we can put him through a knot-hole, and when 
we get him through the plank, show him by our actions 
that we are not only his master, but also his best friend. 

HOW TO BREAK A BAD HALTER-PULLER. 

Of all the objectionable tricks and bad habits the horse is 
subject to, one of the worst is that of pulling back or " hal- 
ter-breaking," and has, perhaps, been the cause of a greater 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 



43 



number of accidents than any other, and causing the destruc- 
tion of numberless bridles, halters, etc. 

To break a horse of this habit properly and for all time, 
the first thing would be to investigate the cause, or why the 
horse pulls back on the halter. His natural instinct is to 
refuse to be held by the head. When the animal's head 
is fastened he will make an effort to get loose, and as 
long as he finds he is successful in getting loose he will 
continue to do so. Therefore, should he set back on the 
halter and attempt to get loose — his head being in a trap 
prepared for him, by the art of man — he will naturally pull 
to get his head out, and if any part of the halter should give 
way or break, his head will become free, and every time he 
gets free by pulling, he will be encouraged to pull haixler 
the next time, until it will take a very strong halter to hold 
him, especially if he is a large, heavy horse. 

There are various plans devised for the breaking of this 
habit. 




No. 8. 

Cut No. 8 represents a horse pulling on the halter 
while fastened according to my method of breaking this 
habit. Take a half-inch rope fifteen feet long ; double about 
one-half of it, and put the doubled end under the tail for a 
crupper, wrapping a piece of cloth around the crupper part 
to prevent the rope cutting his tail. 



44 MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 

Pass the longest end of the rope around his neck from 
the off to the near side ; tie it to the short end in a flat 
knot on the near side, and have the knot come about 
Avhere jon buckle the girth of the harness. Then take the long 
end and place it under the belly and tie it to the rope 
on the off side. This will make a girth or belly-band to 
j)revent it from slipping up. When the rope is placed on 
in this way, as shown in cut No. 8, put on a strong»rope 
or leather halter ; take the lead of the halter, running it 
through a ring in the manger, tree, or side of the build- 
ing. After running the lead of the halter through the ring 
fastened to either of the places named, tie the end of the 
lead to the rope in front of his chest, as shown in the cut. 

Now the horse is not only hitched by the head, but to 
the rope running under the tail also ; and when he starts to 
pull, the lead of the halter will slip through the ring. The 
rope will then catch him under the tail, and he will soon 
jump forward to relieve the pressure under the tail. When 
he does this, go up to his side near his head, patting him 
gently on the neck, allowing him to stand a few minutes ; 
then take a cane or stick, and running iip quickly to frighten 
him back again, and should he run back, strike heavily on 
the lead of the halter in front of his head until he jumps 
forward . 

When he comes forward again treat him kindly as before, 
repeating this operation several times until lie refuses to 
pull back. If the horse is afraid of an umbrella, blanket 
or anything of that kind, run towards him with the object 
in your hands and try to frighten him back, and when he 
comes forward repeat the rubbing on the neck as before, or 
until the horse refuses to pull or tighten on the halter. 
After this lesson he can be hitched at night in the stable 
without any danger of hurting himself. 

This treatment will break the most confirmed " halter- 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 



45 



pullev" in existence after giving him a lesson lasting lialf an 
liQur as above for one or two clays. 

If he pulls on the bridle and not on the halter, make a 
strong rope bridle and hitch the same with the bridle as you 
do for " halter-pulling" hy running the rope lines through 
the ring and tie to the rope in front of the chest. 

DIFFERENT DISPOSITIONS AND TEMPERA- 
MENTS OF THE HORSE. 

The lesson on the management and training of the colt 
and horse would be incomplete without calling the attention 
of the pupil to their different temperaments and disposi- 
tions. 

While all horses are governed hy the same fixed laws and 
instincts, their temperaments and dispositions are as varied 
and numerous as those in man. 




Nc. 9. 



Some ai'e naturally very quiet and gentle in their disposi- 
tions, so much so that it would appear as though they would 



46 MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 

never do anything wrong, but, by impropei' management on 
the part of the trainer or owner, tliey may become so vicious 
and bad as to make them almost as worthless as the horse 
Cognac, well known all over California, that became so 
vicious and unmanageble, that when he got loose and out of 
his stall, on the Fair Grounds of Petaluma, Sonoma County, 
he killed a man who undertook to return him to his stall. 

This hoi'se at one time was as tractable and gentle as it 
was possible for a horse to be, but by the improper treat- 
ment he suffered at the hands of his groom, while iu Illinois, 
he became very vicious and unmanageable. 

The groom, in order to show the intelligence of the horse, 
would put his arm up to the horse's mouth, coaxing him to 
take hold of it, in the same way as is often done by foolish 
people, who are not thoroughly convei'sant with the habits of 
the horse. In doing tliis, the groom succeeded in getting 
the horse to bite, or pinch him, on the arm, with his teeth. 

One day Cognac bit him harder than usual. This en- 
raged the groom, and he took the horse out of the stable 
and began to whip him in an unmerciful manner about the 
body and legs, until the horse lay down, squealing from the 
pain inflicted by the groom. And when he got up, the once 
gentle and kindly-disposed horse was transformed into a 
demon, with a disposition to eat up and destroy his master, 
who had wantonly and cruelly beat him, or any one who at- 
tempted to manage him. 

It was considered, by numerous judges, that this hoi'se had 
no sense, as the term is generally used among horsemen, but 
the writer looks upon this horse as having moi^e sense than 
if he had allowed the groom to punish him wantonly and 
cruelly for doing that which he — the groom — had taught 
him to do, without making an effort to I'etaliate. 

I was in Chicago in 1880, and my attention was called to 
another very bad horse» called the Duke of Normandy, 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 47 

that had pi^eviously got his groom under his knees and 
chewed him up, and had crippled and injured sevex'al other 
men. 

He was led about from one stand to another by a jockey- 
stick, fastened to the bit, in order to prevent his jumping 
on the groom and killing him. 

If the groom, having him in charge, should get on his 
back to ride him, he would reach around and bite him on the 
leg, consequently they were obliged to walk and lead him. 

The owner of this horse lived at Norwood Park, about 
eleven miles from Chicago. I went one day to see him con- 
cerning his horse, and, in the course of conversation, I found 
that the horse would make a good subject to handle l:)efore 
my class, and the gentleman had him brought to my tent in 
Chicago, and in less than forty minutes from the time I 
began to handle him, the owner was on his back, riding 
around the ring, and the horse was peifectly gentle and 
quiet. I hitched this horse to a buggy and drove all 
through the city of Chicago, with perfect safety, also 
turned him loose in my ring and had him follow me 
around, without halter or bridle, perfectly quiet and gentle. 

This horse was about seventeen hands high and weighed 
eighteen hundred pounds, and was naturally of a mild, even 
temper. 

On investigating the early history of this horse, I learned 
that he was imported from France at the age of two years, 
and was pefectly kind and gentle, until he was spoiled by 
the unskillful management of his groom. 

We could mention many such cases of good-tempered 
horses, having been ruined and made ugly by mismanage- 
ment on the part of grooms and others. 

Then again there are other horses that are naturally stu- 
pid, sullen, and of ti'eacherous dispositions. [See cut No. 10.] 

These horses will require very little aggravation at the 



48 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 



hands of the trainer in oixler to draw out their mean traits. 
If they are of the balky or siillen order, great pains 
shoukl be taken by the trainer to overcome this as much as 
possible by studying how to get the best of them, and not 
allowing them to gain any jjoints. 




No. 10. 

They will often attempt, while the trainer is handling 
them, to do just the reverse of what is recpiired of them. 
This we must never allow them to do, but mnst v/ork on 
that point constantly and firmly until tliey do as we are try- 
ing to teach them. Always treat the horse with kindness 
when he does that which we demand of him. If he is of a 
treacherous disposition, be very careful and see that he gets 
no advantage of you. Always be sure that you have every 
advantage on your side. 

Some people are of the opinion that a horse knows when 
you are afraid of him. He knows nothing about your 
thoughts. He only knows what you can do with him, and 
if yon should undertake to handle him and he finds out by 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 



49 



experience that lie can handle you, he will continue to do 
so as long as he finds your inability to force his submission. 
As soon as he finds your ability to force submission he will 
yield at once to your commands. I have handled hundreds 
of horses and made them perfectly submissive when I have 
been very much afraid of them. I liave heard men say 
they never saw a horse they were afraid of. A man that 
will stand Ijehind ahorse and let him -kick his head off lias 
not as much sense as the horse. Always use great cai-e 
and judgment in handling horses like the ones I have 
alluded to. 

There is another class of horses that are of a nervous and 
high-strung temperament [see cut No. 11], that will fight 




No. 11. 

and resist every effort to confine them. While in San 
Bernardino, California, I came across a horse of this kind. 
He had been caught up wild, and resisted every effort 
made to domesticate Iiim. 

When I commenced to handle him in the way and man- 



50 MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 

ner I have laid clown in the lesson for ti-aining the colt, he 
acted more like a liyena tha-n a horse. Some of my clas.s 
said he was crazy, or " loco " as it is expressed in that 
locality — this is a Spanish word for crazy. One of the class 
said he knew the baud from which this colt was taken and 
that every one of them was " loco." 

After I had liandled him about thirty minutes he gave 
up the fight fi'oni the fact that he found out I was not go- 
ing to hurt him. The next day I drove him on the sti-eets 
and he acted like a good, sensible horse, and showed no 
signs of being "loco." 

When I first came to California advocating my new sys- 
tem, there were quite a numljer of good hoi'semen who said: 

Perhaps this man can handle the Eastern horses that are 
domesticated, but we don't think he will meet with much 
success in handling our " broncos." 

But after staying in Los Angeles six weeks, handling 
their " broncos," and di'iviug them through town with tin 
cans tied to their tails, they became satisfied tliat my system 
would bi^eak wild horses as well as those domesticated, as 
this article of January 2d, 1882, from the Los Angeles Times, 
will prove : 

The citizens of Los Angeles witnessed one of the most 
interesting processions that has ])araded the sti-eets of this 
city for many a day, yesterday. For some time past Pro- 
fessor Sample has been in this city teaching the lovers of 
that nol)le animal, the horse, how to train hiiii. From the 
exhibition yesterday it was fully proven to the satisfaction 
of the most skeptical that Sample is the most thorough 
horse-ti'ainer in the United States, if not in the world. The 
owners of the horses in the pi'ocession will testify that less 
than thirty days ago every animal was luigovernable to a 
considerable extent. But the reader, if he saw the ])arade, 
noticed that every horse was led by boys not over twelve 
years of age. This is pi'oof ])Ositive that every man should 
understand the mochcs operandi of taming horses. The pro- 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 51 

cession started from Temple-street stable about 12 o'clock 
noon, and marched throngh the principal streets. The Pro- 
fessor led the caravan, seated in a fine buggy drawn by two 
magnificent black horses. The City Baud followed : then 
came the riproaring mustangs that had been trained. The 
first one had a motto on his sides which read : "I was the 
boss of Denker's ranch, but Sample got the best of me." 
Then followed nine horses with mottoes which read like this : 
" I was the Ijucking bronco, that had my tail full of cuckle 
Imrrs and I have been Sam])led ;" " I was a nuUitier, but have 
been conquered /' " I was Wild Bill of Temple-street stable ;" 
"I was the worst pill in the box, Ijut Sample got the best of 
me ;" " I was a balker, but Sample made me go ;" '■' I 
would'nt back, but I do now ;" " I am the one that crippled 
my master and killed my mate, but will never do it again." 
The last one had : •'•'I was a high kicker, Init Sample took 
it all out of me." 



TO BREAK A HORSE THAT IS AFRAID OF A 
LOCOMOTIVE. ' 

A horse that is afraid of a locomotive is a very unpleas- 
ant kind of horse to drive, and can be broken of the habit 
in a shoi't time. One of the instincts of the horse is to be 
afraid of anything he does not understand ; in fact, feai-, 
either directly or indirectly, is the caiise of all Ijad haljits. 
I The natural instinct of the horse is to follow after any ob- 
ject he may not understand, providing the object is moving 
from him ; therefore, instead of forcing the horse up to the 
object when it is moving toward him, be it locomotive or 
what not, get the horse in a position that you can lide or 
drive him after the object. 

If he is afraid of a band of music that is coming 
toward him, it will be Ijest to take him around in some 
way and get in the rear of the Ijand. In this way 
he will become familiar with the noise while following 
it. This is what we call educating the sense of hear- 



52 MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 

ing. If it is something that frightens him when he sees it, 
get him accustomed to the sight of it in the same manner 
that you accustom him to the sound — by letting him follow 
after it. 

By way of illustration : a horse will follow a top-buggy 
on the road or street Avithout Ijecoming frightened, but 
should the same buggy approach him or come up behind 
him, he will become frightened, and therel3y, obejdng his 
natural instinct in attempting to get away from an object 
he does not undei-stand. A couple of gentlemen, who took 
lessons from me some years ago, while I was illustrating 
this point, one said : 

" That's so." 

He went on to state to the class : *' When myself and 
companion were traveling out West, we came up Avith 
a band of wild horses, and they followed us at a dis- 
tance for two days; sometimes we would turn our liorses 
around and start toward the band to get a good look at 
them, and they would invarial)ly turn and move from iis, 
btit when we resumed our journey the wild horses would 
again follow us, always keeping off' at a safe distance." 

So, in accustoming a colt or horse to any object that 
would ])e inconvenient to iise in the training-lot, proceed as 
directed above. In fiict, to break a horse of any bad habit, 
such as shying on the road, refusing to stand quietly Avhile 
being hitched or unhitched ; being restless while you are 
getting in or out of the buggy, rearing up, running l^ack- 
wards, jumping over things in the road, or, in fact, any Ijad 
habit that the horse is subject to, can be thoroughly eradi- 
cated l>y putting him through a thorough course of training, 
as directed in the handling of the colt, thus getting hiiu 
under your control. 

Never go into partnership with your horse, or compromise 
with him when he disobeys, but let him know that you are 



MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 53 

what you were intended to be — Iiis master, and lie your ser- 
vant. 

After giving your lior.se a tliorougli course of train- 
ing, if you ever have got into the miserable and uncalled- 
for habit of trying to make the horse go by jerking on 
the lines, as most ladies and quite a number of gentlemen 
do, by all means desist at once and never repeat it. The 
main object is to be uniform in your language and 
actions toward him. Never say whoa ! to him unless 
you want him to stop, and if you should happen to 
say whoa when you did not want him to stop, stop him. 

If you tell him to go and he refuses to obey, touch him 
with the whip, but do not jerk on the lines. By giving him 
the above lesson he will soon understand your commands, 
and will act promptly. You should be careful and not pull 
much on the lines, for his mouth will be a little tender after 
the lesson. Never use a severe bit, as it is unnecessary. 
The plain-jointed bit will be sufficient to hold any horse 
if he is properly drilled. Some people make their horses 
foolish by holding the lines tight when the horse starts. 




No. 0. 



HOW TO TELL A HORSE'S AGE TO 
HIS TWENTY-FIUST YEAR. 



There are few persons, even among veterinary surgeons, 
who are able to tell the exact age of a horse after he has 
attained his tenth year, and this being the case, how can we 
expect those who have neither anatomical nor physiological 
knowledge of the mouth to tell his age 

Horse-dealers are frequently accused of deceiving their cus- 
tomers in the age of horses. The purpose of this lesson is 
entirely to set aside this deception, and to enable all, sellers, 
buyers, and those who never before knew anything al)Out 
the age of horses, to thoroughly understand the age of all 
horses, from the time of foaling until he has reached his 
twenty -first year. 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 55 

The writer, who has theoretically and practically studied 
the horse's mouth for eighteen years, has had opportunities 
of examining the mouths of thousands of horses of all ages, 
thus thoroughly convincing himself of the reliability of the 
rules he has laid down for telling the age of the horse. 

He has been teaching this new system for nearly ten 
years, and has taught thousands of persons, and caused 
numerous discussions upon the subject. 

While in Terra Haute, Indiana, there was no little ex- 
citement created by the teaching of this system. In fact, 
some of the horsemen who were skeptical on the subject, 
wrote to Wilkes' Spirit of the Times to ascertain if it were 
possible to tell the horse's age up to twenty-one years. Tlie 
answer came, " No," with a long explanation, giving many 
reasons why it could not. 

The principal point })resented in Wilkes' argument was, 
that the cups or marks entirely disappeared in the teeth at 
nine years of age; and that, after the cups or marks were 
gone, it was impossible to ascertain with any degree of cer- 
tainty how old the horse was. 

(Every new invention, idea, and system of teaching any 
science or art, must Jiave a discoverer or inventor; and as 
these new ideas, systems, and inventions are made public, 
there is, of course, much discussion, criticism, and opposi- 
tion created by those familiar as well as by those unfamiliar 
■with the subject.) 

The writer contends that the horse's mouth undergoes a 
continual change from the time he is foaled to the day he 
dies; and that it is much easier to determine his age from 
ten years up to twenty-one, than it is from one to ten, and 
we feel confident that we will be able to substantiate these 
statements as we proceed with the lesson. 

The horse has forty teeth, and, as we use only twelve of 
them to determine his age, we will have very little to say 



56 AGE OF THE HORSE. 

about the other twenty-eight, as it will have a tendency to 
confuse the reader. The twelve teeth we use to tell the age 
by are located in the front of the mouth, six on the upper 
and six on the lower jaw. [See cut No. 1, of lower jaw of 
foal six months old.] 




No. 1. 
Outsiicle view of a six months old colt's lower jaw. 

We will name these teeth " nipper," " middle " and 
" corner " teeth — NN, the nippers ; MM, the middle ; CC, 
corner — as marked on the teeth in the cut. 

The upper jaw has six teeth — the same as the lower. The 
cut simply represents the lower jaw, fi'ont view. There are 
six on the upper jaw that will be understood by the same 
names — nipper, middle and corner. The nipper, middle and 
corner teeth of the upper jaw will come directly over the 
nipper, middle and corner teeth of the lower jaw. 

These twelve teeth are all that we use to determine the 
age of any horse, mare, mule, jack or jenny, and the first 
thing for the reader to do will be to familiarize himself with 
the names and location of these teeth^ — nipper, middle and 
corner, or N, M and C ; so that, when we speak about nip- 
per, middle and corner teeth, the reader will know just 
where to look in the horse's mouth for the teeth we are 
speaking about. 

The rule we lay down for telling the horse's age applies to 
the mare as well as the horse. Mares do not generally have 
canine or hook-testh, cD.nmoiily called tusks or bridle-teeth. 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 



57 



This is one of the reasons for discarding those teeth in 
determining the age, as it woukl have a tendency to deceive 
or mislead the pupil. (See cut No. 2.) 




No. 2. 

IXSIDF. VIEW OF THE LOWER JAW OF A I'OAL'S MOUTH AT SIX MONTHS. — By looking' 

closely at this cut it will be perceived that both the outer and inner edge of 
the niijper are worn, while only the outer edye of the middle is worn off, and 
the corner teeth have not yet come in contact with the upper jaw. 

The average time for the foal to get his first four teeth, 
called nippers, is fourteen days. He gets the next four, 
called middle, between fourteen days and three months. 
Between three months and six months he gets the last four, 
called corner. So you will understand by this that the colt, 
at the age of six months, has twelve teeth. These are all 
the teeth we use to tell the age. 




No. 3. 

The colt's teeth as they ajipear when drawn out of the jaw. 

This will represent six colt teeth as they would appear if 
pulled out of the jaw. The three on the left, marked H, 
represent the outside view of the crown. The three on the 



58 AGE OF THE HORSE. 

right, marked E, represent the inside view of the crown of 
the teeth. G represents the roots of the middle and corner 
teeth, from an inside view, and I represents the outside 
view of the roots. 

By this cut the pupil will readily understand the anatom- 
ical structure of the colt's teeth. These teeth will all disap- 
pear from the colt's mouth between the age of two and five 
years. 

By carefully noticing the ends of the teeth in cut No. 2, 
you will see that the crowns or part that the colt eats with 
has a hole or mark inside, and by the upper and lower jaw 
coming in contact with each other causing the teeth to wear 
off at the crown. These cups or marks will disappear, at 
the age of one year from the nippers of the foal. (See cut 
No. 4.) 

W 




No. 4. 
This is the inside view of .a colt's mouth one year old. 

The middle and corner teeth still I'etain the cups or 
marks. When we look for the cups in the colt or horse, 
always look on the lower jaw, because the lower jaw is 
movable and the upper is stationery and never moves except 
when the horse moves his head. 

For this reason there will be more friction on the lower 
jaw than on the upper, hence the lower teeth will wear 
away sooner than the upper, and in looking for the marks 
or cups in the crown of the tooth always and invariably 
look on the lower jaw. 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 59 

Cut No. 5 represents the lower jaw of a two-year-old, in 
which the edges of the nipper and middle teeth and their 
mai'ks or cups are worn down, and the inner edge of the 
corner tooth is just commencing to wear. 




No. 5. 

Inside view of a t\vo-j oar-old, when the cups are worn off of the nipper and middle, 
a small cup remaining in the corner teeth. 

At the age of two years and a half the colt teeth com- 
mence to drop out and horse teeth take their place ; this we 
call shedding the teeth. 

There is a difference between the teeth naturally shedding 
and being knocked or pulled out. 

Sometimes they are pulled or knocked out for the pur- 
pose of representing the animal to be older than he really is. 

Dui'ing the late war between the North and South there 
were a great many mules sold to the government that had 
their nippers pulled out, sometimes at the age of eighteen 
months, to make them appear as being two years and a half 
old, this age being the youngest at which the government 
would receive them. And thousands passed into the gov- 
ei'nment employ for mules that were " coming three years," 
when really they were only from a year to eighteen months 
old. 

"While in Chicago I frequently visited the sale-stables. 
On one occasion I was an eye-witness to this cii'cumstaiice : 

A gentleman, Avishing to pm-chase a horse, inquired the 
as:e of a fine large colt some sixteen hands high. The dealer 



60 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 



iirformed Mm that tlie colt was five years and two months 
old. Out of curiosity I ventured to examine the colt's 
mouth, and found it was only three years old. 

The dealer's object in representing the colt to be five years 
old when he was but three was, that the purchaser desired a 
horse of suitable age for work, whereas a three-year-old 
would not answer. 

Had the Government Inspectors of horses and mules 
known that the animals broiight to them were but eighteen 
months old instead of two and one-half years, they would 
have refused them as unfit for the work required. Had the 
Government Inspectors and the Chicago man we have 
alluded to been familiar with this method of telling the 
horse's age and the anatomical structure of the mouth, it 
would have been impossible for them to have been deceived 
as to the aare of a horse. 




No. C. 

Inside view of lower jaw, when two and a half years old, rt^ith the hoise-nippera 
just coming through the gum. 

Cut No. 6 repi-esents the lower jaw two years and a half 
old, with the colt teeth called " nippers " shed out, and the 
horse teeth of the same name have taken their place. 

It will be seen, by carefully examining the above cut, that 
the horse teeth now coming in have not filled up all the 
vacancy in the horse's mouth caused by the shedding of the 
colt teeth. 

When the horse teeth on the lower and upper jaws como 



AGE OP THE HORSE. 61 

in contact with each other, and are worn perfectly straight 
across the ci'own, so as to fill up all the vacancy caused by 
the colt teeth " shedding out," the colt will then be three 
years old. At this time the colt will have four horse teeth 
and eight colt teeth. In other woi'ds, the nippers above and 
below will be horse teeth, while the middle and corner teeth 
above and below will be colt teeth. 




Xc 7. 
Inside view of the lower Jaw, three years and a lialf old. 

The way we distinguish the horse teeth from the colt 
teeth, is by the horse teeth having a groove running down 
the center of the tooth from the crown to the gum on the 
outside surface, while the colt teeth are smooth on the out- 
side surface, reseml^ling your finger-nail, as shown in Cut 
No. 1. 

Cut No. 7 represents the lower jaw of a colt three years 
and a half old. 

The colt teeth, called "middle," are gone, and the horse teeth 
have cut through the gums. At four years old, these horse 
teeth, called " middle," shall liave filled up all the vacancy, 
and be perfectly straight across the crown. Tlien the colt will 
show four horse teeth on the lower and four on the upper 
jaw, with only four colt teeth i-emainiiig, namely, the four 
*• corner " teeth. Wlien the colt is four years old, it will be 
seen, by a close examination of the colt's mouth, that he 
will have eight horse teeth and four colt teeth ; the four 
nippers and four middle will be; horse teeth, sliowing a 
groove on the outside surface; while the four corner teeth 



62 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 



that remain In tlie jaw wilT be colt teeth, with no groove on 
the outside surface, and the crown of the tooth will be worn 
perfectly smooth, as represented in cvit No. 7. 




Inside of the lower jaw of a colt four years and a half old, with the tushes 
and corner tooth through the gum. 

Cut No. 8 is a representation of the lower jaw of a 
four-and-half-year-old colt. It will be seen by the above 
cut, that all the colt teeth are gone, but the coi-ner teeth 
are not yet fully developed. These corner teeth will be full 
size at five years. Then, all the teeth, nipper, middle, and- 
corner, will be horse teeth, and will all show the groove on 
the front except the corner teeth. 

A' 




No. 9. 
Outside view of lower jaw at five years of age. 

The above cut is a correct likeness of the outside view of 
the lower jaw of a five-year-old horse, showing the grooves 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 



63 



in the nippers and middle teeth, while showing the corner 
teeth as smooth. The corner teeth of the upper and lower 
jaw at five years are just commencing to wear, and it will 
be seen by Cut No. 9 that the corner teeth are wider than 
they are long. 

The length of the tooth is from the gtim to the crown, 
and the width is across the crown. The tooth marked c 
is wider than it is lonsf. 




No. 10. 
Inside view of tlie lower jaw at five years. 

This cut shows the inside view of the lower jaw at five 
years of age. There is but slight difierence between this 
antjl the six-year-old. 




No. 11. 
Inside view of a Iiorse's mouth at six years. 

/ Cut No. 11 shows the lower jaw of a six-year-old horse. 



64 



AGE OF THE HORSE, 



By examining this cut it will be noticed that there is a large 
cup in the corner teeth, and a small one in the middle teeth. 
The cups have almost disappeared from the nippers, and 
sometimes at six years the cups are gone entirely from 
them, which would represent a seven-year-old horse. But if 
the pupil has a doubt as to the horse's age he can determine 
by the examination of some of the other teeth. We have 
shown that the corner teeth at five years old ai'e wider than 
they are long, and until the horse has passed six years of 
age the upper corner teeth, on both sides of the jaw, will 
show wider than they are long. The horse will not be over 
six years old, although the cups may have disappeared from 
the nippers of the lower jaw. 




No. 12. 
Inside view of horse's moutli at seven j'ears. 



Cut No. 12 represents the inside view of the lower jaw 
of a seven-year-old horse. It will be noticeable that the 
cups are entirely gone from the nippers, and almost gone 
from the middle, while the corner-teeth are worn dull on 
the inside. At this time the upper corner-tooth will show 
longer than it is wide. This is the only difference percepti- 
ble between the six and seven-year-old horse. 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 



65 



Cut No. 13 shows the lower jaw of the horse, aged eight 
years, in which the teeth have all become equally worn, 
and in the corner-teeth cdone is to be found any trace of the 




No. 13. 
luside view of a horse at eight years. 



cup. The lower-jaw will be smooth at this time except the 
corner-teeth, which will show a small cup. 




No. 14. 

The above cut shows the lower jaw of a nine-year-old 
horse, where all the teeth have become smooth. 

This is the general rule — but there are exceptions ; at 
least, there are shell-teeth, or holes in the teeth, that would 
tend to deceive the l^eginner, and if we had no other 
marks to go by, except the cups, we would find it a difficult 
task to determine the horse's age with any degree of cer-. 



66 



AGE OF THE HOUSE. 



taiiity. But we understand other marks tliat are more 
relia1)Ie than the cups we have just spoken of. 

Some unprincipled men might make false cups in the 
teeth to make the horse appear younger to those pei-sons not 
fully conversant with all the marks in the mouth. It will 
be noticed, by examining the outside of the teeth of horses 
between the ages of five and ten years, that they have 
smooth corner teeth, as shown in cut No. 9. 

At ten years of age there will appear a small groove on 
the upper corner tooth close to the gum, about half the siz3 
of a grain of wheat, and this groove will appear longer as 
the horse advances in age ; and when he arrives at the age 
of twenty-one years, this groove will show all the way doAvn 
the tooth, as it appears in the nipper and middle teeth of 
the followina; cut. 




No. 15. 
Sile vie'.v of th3 horss's ji.v, at th3 agi of flfteeii year?. 

The above cut represents the side view of the upper jaw 
of a horse fifteen years old, with the groove half-way down 
the upper corner tooth; or, in other Avords, to make it plain, 
the "'roove shows down the tooth one-half the distance from 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 67 

the gum to the crown. In measuring the length of the 
tooth in this case, we always measure from the gum to the 
longest point of the tooth ; but, to be better understood, we 
will say, measure the longest side of the tooth to get the 
proper length. If this groove should show half-way down 
the longest side of the tooth, as represented in cut 15, the 
horse will be fifteen years old without a doubt. 

If it shows three-fourths of the way down the longest 
side, he is eighteen years ; and if it shows all the way down 
he is twenty-one years old. According to this, it will be 
seen that the groove starts close to the gum at ten, and will 
reach down to the crown at twenty-one. It takes eleven 
years for the groove to reach the crown, hence, one-eleventh 
the length of the tooth represents one year ; two elevenths, 
two years, and so on, and when the groove is half way down 
tl.e t)oth, as represented in cut 15, the horse is then fifteen 
and a half years old — providing we count the fraction — from 
the fact tliat one-half of eleven is five and a half, and the 
gi-oove not making its appearance on the tooth until the 
horse arrives at the age of ten ; adding the ten to the five 
and a half, counting the fractions, makes him fifteen and a 
half years old. 

But as we are perfectly satisfied to be able to come within 
a year of the horse's age, we will throw this fraction out and 
simply say fifteen years old. We will lay down a simple 
rule to examine this tooth and groove by : 

If the groove^is just starting on the tooth, the horse is ten 
years old • one-eleventh down the tooth, he would be eleven 
years old ; two-elevenths, lie would be twelve years old ; 
three-elevenths, thirteen years old ; nearly half-way^ four- 
teen years old ; half-way, fifteen ; a little below half-way, 
sixteen years ; still a little farther down, seventeen years ; 
three-fourths of the way down, eighteen yeai'S ; a little more 
than three-fourths of the way, nineteen years, and almost to the 



68 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 



crown, twenty. When the groove reaches from the gum to the 
crown, he is twenty-one, measuring with the eye. This being 
as far as we propose to teach, scientifically,' the horse's age, 
tlie reader, by a close examination of horses' moiiths that lie 
knows the age of positively, and comparing them with the 
above rules, will soon be able to tell correctly the age of any 
horse from the time he is foaled to twenty-one years. 

We have endeaA^ored, in the above instructions, to give 
in plain language the simplest, yet the most scientific method 
of telling the horse's age known. 

In order to still further explain the anatomi'^al and ]">hy- 
siological structure of the teeth, we will refer the reader to 
the followiuij: illustrations : 




No. 16. 
Teeth as llicy are located in the jaw. 

Cut 16 represents the way and manner in which the 
teeth are located in the jaw of the horse. The roots, as 
they are commonly called, are narrow at the ends, while the 
crown of the tooth is much wider. The dotted line, from D 
to E, represents that portion of the tooth Avhich extends 
above the gums, and the lower parts are l)uried beneath the 
gums in the jawbone. K K represent the tusks or hook 
teeth, commonly called bridle teeth, just about to cut 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 



69 



tlii'ougli the gums, and as tliere is no certain time to be re- 
lied iipon for these teeth to cnt through, we will say nothing 
more about them, as this would mislead the reader. 

The six teeth are marked NN, MM and CO. The three 
on the left show the shape of the teeth, on the crown, as they 
come through the gum, while the three on the right show 
•sonie little wear by coming in contact with the upper jaw. 




No. 17. 
Full-size front and side view of nippers as they appear when pulled out of jaw. 

Cut 17 is I he full-size, front and side view, of tlie tooth 
called nipper. A i-epresents the front view, and B shows 
the side view of the same tooth. 

By noticing the front view, marked A, of the nipper- 
tooth, in Cut No. 17, you will see that at the crown or top 
it is quite wide, and gradually tapers to the root, \\-here it 



70 AGE OF THE HORSE. 

is quite pointed, and the black mark, beginning at the 
crown and rnnning down near the whole length of the tooth, 
represents the groove we dwelt upon before. 

The representation in Cat 17, marked B, gives you a side 
view of the same tooth, and shows the top or crown to be 
much Jiarrower on the side than on the front, and instead 
of gradually tapering down to a sharp point, it bulges out, 
or becomes thicker, near the middle than at either end. 
By this it v/ill be seen that as the tooth weai-s away, by 
coming in contact with the upper jaw, the crown becomes 
narrower, as it wears down to the root, and thicker from 
the outside to the inside of the tooth. 



No. 18. 
Shows nipper as it appears at three, six, twelve, eighteen and twenty-four years. 

Cut 18 shows the shape of the crown of the nipper tooth 
at different ages. Tlie upper section of this tooth shows a 
three-year-old tooth. 

The width is from figure one to figure two, while the 
thickness is shown from figure three to figu.re four. The 



AGK OF THE IIORSK. 



71 



second section of this tootJi shows a six-year-old, and tlic 
third section shows a twelve-year-okl tooth. The fourth shows 
eighteen years okl, while the fifth, and lower section, shows 
twenty -four years. 

If the ]-eader will carefully examine this illustration he 
will notice that the upper section from one to two is twice 
as wide as it is thick, while the lower section, showing the 
same tooth at twenty-four years, will discover that it is twice 
as thick as it is wide. 

The width is from one to two, and the thickness from 
three to four. 

We will next call your attention to cut 19. 




No. 19. 
Life-size inside view of five-j'ear-olu. 

This cut will represent a life-size, inside view, of 
the lower jaw of a five-year-old, showing all the cups or 
mai'ks in the teeth as they would ap[)ear in the five-year-old 
mouth. N N the nippers, M M the middle, C C the corner 
teetli. 



72 AGE OF THE HORSE. 

Cut ISTo. 20 shows a life-size outside view of the lower 
jaw of a colt five years old. 




No. 20. 
tiife-size outside view of a five-year-old. 



Cut 21 shows a life-size inside view of the lower jaw of 
a horse twenty-four years old. 




No. 21. 
Life-size inside view of a twenty-four-year-old. 

Cut 22 represents the outside view of the lower jaw of 
a horse twenty-four years old. 

These last six cuts, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22, are not in- 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 73 

sevted to show any pai'ticular age, ])ut to ])ost the pupil 
more fully in regard to the shape and form of the teeth at 
ditlerent ages, showing the two extremes, the very young 
and the very old. 




No. 2?. 
L'fe-size outsido view of a twcntj-four-year-olJ. 

By closely observing the cuts above mentioned, more ])av- 
ticularly tlie last four, it will bo S33n tliat the live-year-old 
shows very wide across the crown, Avliile the twenty-four- 
vear-old sliows very narrow across the crown, Ijoth the inside 
and outside views. This is caused by what is called the 
alveolar process. 

It will 1)0 moi-e fully understood Ijy the j)upil to say, the 
teeth in the young horse are long, while those in the old 
horse are sliort, as shown in Cut No. 18. 

Most peo[)le are luider the impression that young horses 
have short teeth, and that old horses have long ones. It is 
Just the leverse. The old horses have the slioi't teeth and 
the young ones the long, as will be seen in Cut No. 17. A 
shows the front and B the side view of a full-size tooth of a 
young horse, which averages in length from 2^ to 3 inches. 

While Cut No. 18, lower section, rei)resents the horse 
when he is very old —three-fourths to one inch long. 



74 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 



The reason people call the old horse's teeth long is be- 
cause they show further out from the gums, while the young 
horse's teeth are buried in the jaw-bone and covered by the 
gums. For this reason the young horse's teeth appear short, 
Avhih the old horse's teeth look longer because they project 
farther out from the gums. 

There are some horses that have what are called parrot- 
mouths, where the upper jaw teeth extend over and beyond 
the lower jaw teeth. Should this be the case, they will not 
wear off short, but the teeth of a horse eight or nine years 
old will show as long as a horse of twelve or fifteen will, where 
the teeth come together and wear off properly on the crowns. 




ACE OF THE HORSE. 



75 



Page 74 sliOAvs tlie two inside views of tlie lower jaw 
together, so that the pupil can see the contrast between the 
old and young mouth. 

We Avill also put the two outside views together on this 
page, so the pupil can see the width and shape of the teeth 
and gums. Bj noticing closely, it will be seen that the 
gums in the vo'in-;' mouth are nearly straight across, while 
the old mouth shows the gums extending up between the 
teeth. 

The u}iper view on page 74 shows twenty-four years old ; 
the lower view, only five. On page 75 the upper view shows 
iive, and the lower one twenty -four years. 




76 AGE OF THE HORSE. 

We will next proceed to explain as well as possible to the 
pupil what is meant by the alveolar process. 

In the human as well as in the horse, the teeth are con- 
stantly and slowly, as natui^e directs, moving up out of the 
sockets, and as the teeth in the horse are smaller at the 
roots than at the crown (as shown in cut No. 17), it will be 
understood, as they move out of the sockets, that the fur- 
ther out they get the narrower the moutli will show. 

The jaw-bone naturally contracts to fill up the space left 
by the teeth coming out of their sockets, and as this is a 
gradual process from the time the horse is fully developed, 
the older he gets the narrower the jaw will show. Hence 
the old. horse's jaw will be much narrower than the young 
one, as will be I'eadily shown by the cuts on jiages 74 and 
75. 

Another marked difi'erence will be perceptible in the 
young horse's mouth and teeth, which is, that the shape of 
the crown of the teeth will be that of a half-cirele, while in 
the old horse they will show almost straight across the 
crown, showing the shape the alveolar process leaves the old 
horse's mouth in. 

It will also be noticed that the teeth in the young horse, 
marked N, M and C, nippers, middle and corner, are en- 
tirely of a different shape on tlie crown, while the nippers 
of the young horse are much wider than they ax'e thick, 
the old hoi'se's nippei's shows much thicker than they 
are wide (see pages 74 and 75). 

We next call the attention of the reader to cut No. 23, 
which represents the inside ^'ie\v of the lower jaw of an old 
horse, in which the teeth have been sawed ofi", and not 
naturally worn off. 

Cat No. 24 represents the outside view of the same jaw 
illustrated in cut 23. 

Many unprincipled men have a rascally trick of sawing 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 



77 



off the horse's teeth and cutting holes in the crown, and then 
j)utting a red-hot iron in the holes to make black marks or 
false cups. 




No. 23. 

This is called " Bishopping," because the man who first 
practised this fraud was named Bisho}). AVhen this opera- 
tion is performed on a horse that is getting along in years, 
it might deceive those that are not familiar with the forma- 
tion and structure of the teeth ; but, after a close investiga- 
tion of the young and old mouth, as shown by cuts 19 and 
20, it will be impossible to deceive the pupil. 




No. 24. 

These simple but practical rules can become understood 
thoroughly by examining the mouths of different-aged 
horses. 

I would advise the pupil to first examine the moutlis of 
horses whose ages are well known to him, and compare with 



78 AGE OP THE HORSE. 

these insti'uctions ; then he might examine the mouths of 
different horses that he knows nothing about ; and if these 
rules will hold good in describing the marks in the mouth 
that is well understood by the pupil, they will hold good in 
determining the ages of horses he knows nothing about. 

The way that the author found out how to tell an old 
horse's age was Ijy examining every horse he could find, if 
the horse's age was positively known by the owner. He 
then observed the different marks as descriljed in this lesson, 
and now feels satisfied that l)y these rules the old horse's 
age — say up to twenty-one — will l^e known as Avell as the 
liorso from one to ten. We are so })ositive that we will 
invite any scientific horsemen or others to make the test. 

In regard to the different ages of horses we Avill give a few 
words of advice. Most jjeople, in bxiying horses, prefer to get 
a young horse — from foui- to fi^■e years old. If a gentleman 
intends purchasing a horse for light work, intending to have 
him under his :)wn care, it would perhaps be well to buy such 
a horse, because the young horse would be likely to improve 
in value, if properly cared for, and the work light and easy ; 
but if he were going to purchase a horse to do hard, steady 
work, it would be better to get one seven or eight years 
old. 

Many pei^sons, inexperienced in handling and working 
horses, imagine that when the horse is nine or ten years old, 
he is rather an old animil, but experience has taught me, if 
he has not been crippled and injured, by working him when 
too young, that he is just in his prime. 

If the horse is to be used for staging, street-cars, omni- 
busses, hacks, or any kind of constant or hard work, a sound 
ten-year-old horse is the right horse in the right place. 

In traveling througli Wisconsin, last year, at a small 
town called Sharon, where I formed a class, a gentleman, 
named Lowell , had a very fine stallion, that was twenty-one 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 79 

years old, sired by old Lexington, the celebrated running horse. 
He hitched him up to a " buckboard," and the horse got to 
kicking. Some of my scholars, knowing of this, got Mr. 
Lowell to bring him to Shai^on, to have him handled before 
the class, and v/hen he led the hoi'se into town he looked 
like a youiig colt, and was one of those high-strung, well- 
bred, fully-developed, symmetrical horses that would furnish 
a fine siibject for a picture to adorn any art gallery. 

After handling this horse a few minutes, I hitched him 
to a l»uggy and drove him up and down the streets. I 
liked the horse so well that I persuaded Mr. Lowell to let 
mo take him and drive him through the country. I drove 
liim two or three months, and gave him some very long 
drives, which appeai-ed beneficial to him rather than other- 
wise, and would have severely tested the endurance of many 
much younger horses. 

Flora Temple, when nineteen years old, made her fastest 
time — 2:19| — which was the fastest mile ever trotted by 
any horse, mare or gelding, young or old, up to the year 
1856. 

Goldsmith Maid, at the age of nineteen, also made her 
best time — 2:14 — which was considered wonderful, as she 
beat all former records. In fact, tlie writer has seen horses 
working every day on the streets, and performing the work 
of ordinary hoi'ses, at the advanced age of thirty-three 
years. So, in buying a horse, be careful in discarding liim 
solely on account of his age. 



EEFERENCES TO OPPOSITE CUT. 

HEAD. 

1. Muzzle. 

2. Nostril. 

3. Forehead. 

4. Jaw. 

5. Poll. 

NECK. 

6. 6. Crest. 

7. Thropple or windpipe. 

FORE-QUARTER. 

S. S. Shoulder-blade. 
9. Point of the shoulder. 

10. Bosom or breast. 

11. 11. True -arm. 
1-2. Elbow. 

1.3. Fore-arm (arm). 

14. Knee. 

15. Cannon-bone. 

16. Back sinew. 

17. Fetlock or pastern-joint. 

18. Coronet. 

19. Hoof or foot. 

20. Heel. 

BODY OR MIDDLEPIECE. 

21. Withers. 

22. Back. 

23. 23. Ptibs (forming together the barrel or 

chest). 

24. 24. The circumference of the chest at this 

point, called the girth. 

25. The loins. 

26. The croup. 

27. The hip. 

28. The flank. 

29. The sheath. 

30. The root of the dock or tail. 

THE HIND-QUARTER. 

31. The hip -joint, round, or whirl -bone. 

32. The stifle-joint. 

33. 33. Lower thigh or gaskin. 

34. The quartei-3. 

35. The hock. 

36. The point of the hock. 

37. The ball. 

38. The cannon-bone. 

39. The I)ack sinew. 

40. Pastern or fetlock-joint. 

41. Coronet. 

42. Foot or hoof. 

43. Heel. 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE AND 
THEIK TREATMENT. 



The treatment and remedies given in this book, I liaA^e 
secured at great loss of time and money. I have been treat- 
ing my own horses for nearly twenty years, and have used 
the remedies in this book with great success. 

Many of the remedies included are worth miTch more 
than the cost of five of these Ijooks. 

My principal desire in the production of this book is to 
benefit my patrons. Hence the reader may feel assured that 
no i-emedy will be placed in it, not known by me to be 
valuable and relial^le. 

It is an old maxim that reads : "An ounce of prevention 
is worth a ])ound of cure," and I would urge the necessity 
of at least ordinary care in preventing colds and sickness by 
guarding against exjwsure or mercilessly driving until 
the horse is in a high state of ])erspiration ; then leaving 
him Avhere some cold, bleak wind will strike him, perhaps 
without even putting a l)lanket or covering over him. 

If covered at all, the blanket may be thrown on carelessly, 
and the driver or groom goes off" to enjoy himself with his 
friends, taking his toddy, or toasting his shins, wliile the 
poor animal stands shivering in tlie street. 

The effect of such ti^eatment will not then have time to 
fully develop itself, but will be seen afterwards, when per- 
haps it is too late. 

Tiiis is the cause of Acute Laminltis (founder) and of 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 83 

Pleuro-Pneumonia (Pleurisy.) The jnincipal points in 
secui'ing the healtli of a horse, are exercise, pui-e air, and 
good feeding. 

In the first place irregularity in exercising the horse will 
certainly produce diseases, and in the second place, the stable 
should 1)0 A-entilated so that it will be neither too hot nor 
too cold. If this is not looked to, the animal will show the 
effects in a short time, by coughing or having a slight irri- 
tation of the mucous membrane of the throat. 

A horse will take cold very easily by going out of a hot 
stable into the cold air, or from the cold air into a hot stable. 

It is the sudden atmospheric change that produces the 
change on the mucous coat of the,larynx and throat. 

The clothing or covering of the horse in a stable should 
be neither too warm nor too cold. 

A great deal depends on the care and attention that is 
paid to the horse in this respect. Whenever the laws of 
nature are violated, and the horse is caged or housed nip by 
man, the same care and attention should be given him that 
we would give ourselves, when apprehending a return of 
previously endured hardships occasioned by exposure and 
neglect. 

Another point that should always be observed in keeping 
a horse in condition and good health, is regular feeding and 
paying strict attention to him immediately after a long or 
hard drive, especially if he has been exposed to wet and 
cold weather. 

Anticipate and look for a chill. Blanket him warmly 
and also give him a little fever medicine and a bran 
mash. By these timely precautions a severe attack of 
pneumonia may be averted. 

L%in(j Fever. 

Lung fever is an epidemic prevalent throughout the 
United States and Canada, and is considered contagious and 



84 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



generally proves fatal. It, however, has its causes of 23ro- 
duction in all countries, some of which I will describe 
first. Sudden changes from heat to cold ; after severe cold 
weather it turns suddenly warm, the atmosphere is damp, 
the walls of stables are damp, the miasm and stench which 
arise from close stables produce a poisonous effluvia, which 
is inhaled by the horse, and produces disease. Again, 
changing horses from warm, comfortable stables, to cold, 
damp ones, often produces it. Driving your horse hard, 




First stajres of Lung Fever. 



getting him warm, and then leaving him in a current of 
cold air, or giving him a heavy draught of cold water when 
warm, and allowing him to stand afterwards to chill tak- 
ing him out when he feels well, in the rain, or turning him 
out in a paddock when he feels fresh, allowing him to take 
severe and quick exercise under exciting circumstances; 
causing undue excitement, affecting the lungs by rapid 
respiration. It is frequently caused by sudden fright, hold- 
ing and compelling horses to remain in close proximity with 
whatever they think will harm them, producing heat and 
excitement ; overdriving and exhaustion without sufficient 
care after the drive ; too hard driving on a full stomach ; 
injuries received on the head, back or limbs ; crowding too 
manv horses in small stables without sufficient ventila- 



DISEASES OF THE IIOKSK. 85 

tion ; keeping one diseased horse in a lierd or sta1)le with 
other horses. It is found to prevail mostly in crowded 
cities ; seldom attacks horses on the farm, where they have 
plenty of clean water and pure air ; the damper the stable, 
the more liable is the horse to disease. It frequently at- 
tacks other parts of the horse, as well as the lungs. 

Symptoms. 
The horse breaks out in a cold, clammy sweat, accompan- 
ied with a severe chill. The ears, legs and head become 
deathly cold ; he hangs his head down, or rests it on the 
manger ; nibbles a little at his hay, refusing to eat any 
quantity ; stands perfectly still, never moving tmless com- 
pelled to; he is exceedingly stiff and weak; has a quick, 
weak pulse, hot mouth, shivering, dullness, watery eyes, 
accompanied by watery discharge from the nostrils, which 
soon becomes purulent ; sore throat, diflficulty of swal- 
lowing; loss of appetite, bowels costive; invariably dying 
upon his feet. In some cases the chest fills with water; the 
heart and its coverings are severely involved; the eyelids 




Second stage of Lung' Fever. 

and the head are distended with fluids. It occurs generally 
in spring and fall, but may occur at any season of the year. 
It has been often mistaken for ordinary founder. Horses 



8G DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

generally live from eiglit to fifteen clays; but if tiiey are not 
I'elieved during the first three or four days, their case is 
liopeless. Hunning, trotting, livery, and fancy horses are 
the most liable to take lung fever. The celebrated Cana- 
dian trotting-liorse, St. Lawrence, died at Kalamazoo, Mich- 
igan, in 1860, from lung fever, })roduced from cooling ofli'too 
suddenly after his race. The American trotting-horse, 
George M. Patchin, died from the same cause; Eoyal George 
died at Buffalo, in 1867, from the same cause; the Maid of 
Oi-leans died from the same cause, after running her four- 
mile race. Livery horses are subject to it, because they are 
so often over-heated, and left standing in the cold by care- 
less drivers. 

Fancy horses that are kept in warm stables with two or 
three heavy Ijlankets on, Avhen brought in contact with tho 
air, chill veiy soon, unless kept in rapid motion. No horse 
should l)e blanketed in the stable generally. If kept in a 
good stable without clothing, and clothed whenever he is 
obliged to stand in the air, it would be better. Never ex- 
])Ose your horse to sudden changes ; they afiect his general 
Jiealth and spirits. Horses that are regularly fed and 
Avorked, seldom if ever need any medicine. 

All horses should have ]jlenty of exercise in the open air. 
Golts should never be housed up or confined ; nature in- 
tended they should have a certain amount of exei-cise to 
develop their muscles and lungs, to keep them in conditio.n. 
This is why wild horses excel tame ones ; they commence to 
run from the time they are foaled, so that by the time they 
are four years old, they are well developed. 

Treatment in Lung Fever : 



Tincture of aconite. 1 oz. 

Tincture of veratrium ..,,...,, -| oz. 

Aqua 4 oz. 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 87 

Dose from fifteen to tweiity-five drops on the tongue every 
thirty or forty minutes. 

Tliis dose can be increased or decreased according to the 
severity of the case. Blister his sides just behind his fore- 
legs ; bathe his throat with some strong liniment, and give 
him ])lenty of good pure air; do not stand him in the 
draught ; I'ub his legs well with some stimulating liniment, 
remembering that good care is one-half the battle. 

Spasmodic Colic. 

One of the most dangerous and common diseases to which 
the horse is subject, is the Colic, both spasmodic and flatu- 
lent. Spasmodic Colic, if not relieved, will, in severe cases, 
cause inflammation of the bowels and speedy death. 

Flatulent Colic, while exhibiting the general symptoms, 
shows marked enlargement of the belly, from generation of 
gas, which, when not checked and neutralized, results fa- 
tally by rupturing the diaphragm, causing death. 

The causes of colic are drinking cold water when in a 
heated condition, costiveness, unwholesome food, and the 
application of cold water to the body, etc. 

Premonitory sym])toms are sudden. The animal jiaws 
violently, showing evidences of great distress, shifting his 
position constantly, and manifesting a desire to lie down. 

In a few minutes these symptoms disapj^ear and the 
horse is easy. 

He may also act as if he desired to make water, which 
he is unable to do, there being a spasmodic contraction of 
the urethra. Hence the desii-e to give diuretic medicine. 
Straining in this Avay is usually prompted by a desire to 
relieve the muscles of the belly. No diui-etic remedy 
.should be given the horse, as he cannot pass the urine until 
the attack of colic ceases, or it is taken from him with a 
catheter. 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



But the same uneasiness soon returns, increasing in 
severity until the animal cannot remain on his feet ; the 
pulse is full, scarcely altered from its normal condition. 

A cold sweat breaks out over the body ; the temperature 
of the lesrs and ears iiatural. 




First stage of Spasmodic Colic. 

As the disease advances the symptoms become more se- 
vere, the animal throwing himself down with force and looks 
anxiously at the sides, snapping with his teeth at his sides, 
looking anxiously at his belly, and striking upward with 
the liind feet, showing almost the same symptoms as in in- 
flammation of the bowels. 

To better point out the peculiarities or characteristics of 
each trouble, I will say : 

Colic is sudden in its attacks. Legs and ears of natural 
tempei-ature. Rubbing the belly gives relief. Relief ob- 
tained from motion. Pulse, in the early stage of the disease, 
not much quickened or altered in its character. Intervals 
of rest. Strength liardly affected. 

Inflammation of the Bowels : Gradual in its approach, 
with previous indications of fever. Pulse, much quickened, 
small, often scarcely to be felt. Legs and ears cold. Mo- 
tion increases pain. 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 89 

Rapid and Great Weakness. Constant Pain. — This dis- 
ease being wholly of a spasmodic nature, it must be counter- 
acted by anti-spasmodic treatment ; and laudanum, being 
the most powerful and reliable anti-spasmodic, it is here 
indicated. 

Treatment. — Give in a pint of raw linseed oil, from two 
to three ounces of laudanum. 

If not better in an hour give two ounces each of oil and 
laudanum. 

The following remedy is considered one of the best in use 
^or the cure of either form of colic : 

Colic Remedy. 

Opium I lb. 

Sulph. ether 1 pint. 

Aromatic Spirits Ammonia 1 ])int. 

Sweet Spirits Nitre 2 pints. 

Asafoetida (pure) | lb. 

Camphor ^ H). 

Bottle and let it stand fourteen days, with freqnent shak- 
ing, and it will be lit for use. 

Dose — One ounce, more or less, according to severity of 
the case, once in from thirty minutes to an hour. Give in 
a little water. 

To enable its immediate use, substitute same proportion 
of tincture for the gum. 

Flatident Colic. 

Same symptoms as s[)asmodic colic, except that the accu- 
mulation of gas in the stomach and intestines is such as to 
canse the belly to swell. 

This disease often proves fatal in two or three hours. 

Generally it attacks the horse very suddenly, often occur- 
ring while the animal is at work, particularly during warm, 



90 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

or changeable weather, fi-om cold to heat. Indigestion is a 
general cause, producing gas in the stomach and bowels. 

The two locations and causes for this disease are — the 
stomach, colon and coecum. 

When in the stomach it will be known 1)y eructations or 
belching of gas tlirough the esophagus or gullet. 

If from the coecum or colon, the horse is violently swollen 
along the belly and sides. 

The pulse rarely is disturbed until the disease advances, 
when it will become quickened, running to itslieight quickly 
and receding as rapidly if fatal. 




First stage of Flatulent Colic. 

If to terminate fatally it will become weaker and slowei 
until it is almost imperceptible. 

Should the animal suddenly fall down during great pres- 
sure of gas against the walls of the stomach, there is danger 
of rupturing the diaphragm, causing almost instant death 
from suffocation. 

Treatment — Keep up evaporation of the body as much 
as possible by sweating with blankets. A hot bath would 
be still l)etter. If you have on hand the remedy recom- 
mended for sjiasmodic colic, give at once as directed. Should 
it not be available, give a drench of the following : 

Sulpli. ether 2 oz. 

Peppermint 2 oz. 

Laudanum 1 oz. 

Soft water . . . , 1 pint. 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 91 

If the horse is not too sick to get up during the intervals 
of administering the mixture, keep liim in motion. Repeat 
the dose in half or three-quarters of an liour if not improved. 

There is great dangei- of the diaphragm being I'uptured, 
through the distention of the intestines, in this disease. 

To keep the animal on his feet in the stall, and ])revent 
those violent falls and rolling aboiit, and to avoid irritation 
or action on the bowels, it Avould be advisable to walk the 




Last stages of Colic. 

liorse as slowly as possible, led ])y the head to prevent fall- 
ing or rolling, until such time as the treatment has liad the 
desired effect. 

Catarrh or Cold. 

Colds, if neglected, may lead to serious consequences, and 
are of common occurrence. By a little rest and nursing, in 
time the system will soon resume its normal condition. 

Usually, the symptoms are a slight increase of the pulse, 
followed by a slight discharge from the Jiose ; loss of appe- 
tite ; hail" roughed ; and a cough, which sometimes is Cjuite 
severe. Give aconite as for a fever, and blanket warmly. 
Give bran mashes, etc. In serious cases, it may run into 
inflammation of the air passages, as Isronchitis or laryngitis. 
Give fever medicine, and alternate with belladonna. Aim 
to keep up the strength. Put on a bag made of coarse, 
loose cloth, into Avhich put some hot bran, on which throw 
an ounce or two of turpentine. Hang the sack on the horse's 
head, being careful to leave an opening to allow some of the 
.steam to escape, so it will not scald his nose. A repetition 



92 DISEASES OP THE HORSE. 

of this ti-eatment a few times will start the nose running 
freely. Complete this treatment with judicious rest and 
care. 

To relieve obstinate inflammation of the throat and air- 
passages, apply a good liniment to the throat and chest. 
This will stimulate the surface. 

Strangles, or Distemper. 
This form of sore throat has for its design the throwing 
off of some poisonous matter from the system. You should 
keep up the strength of the animal, and hasten suppura- 
tion. The horse's neck becomes sore and stiff, and there is 
an enlargement which is hard at first ; the nose discharges 




strangles, or Distemper. 

matter. The horse generally becomes worse, and, when very 
bad, causes suffocation ; he is able to eat very little, and he 
loses strength rapidly. A poultice of warm vinegar and 
bran, freely used and changed as often as it becomes dry, 
will do much good if applied until the enlargement becomes 
.soft, and can be opened. 

Another treatment is to take spirits of camphor, one 
j)art ; spirits of turpentine, two parts ; laudanum, one part. 
Apply to the neck with a brush three or four times a day 
until soreness is produced. After each application, put three 
or four thick pieces of flannel over the parts, binding them 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 93 

on with a bandage. "When the tumor comes to a head or 
point, open it to allow the matter to escape thoroughly. In 
case tJie swelling is very deep, and causes serious soreness 
and swelling of the throat, nurse the horse carefully by 
feeding with warm gruel, give warm drink, tempt his appe- 
tite with grass, etc. Rubbing the enlargement with fly- 
blister, to bring it to a head, is often resorted to. No physic 
should be given. 

Poll-Evil ami Fistula of the Withers. 

The ti'eatment of these difficulties is tJie same for one as 
for the other — their characters being the same. 

Poll-Evil is oftentimes caused l)y the poll striking a beam 
or against the flooi-. Sometimes it may be the result of 
constitutional predisposition. 

When the enlargement and inflammation are first noticed, 
you may be able to dispose of it by giving a dose of ])hysic 
and applying cooling applications to the part. 

If the inflammation has not become reduced, clip the 
liair from the part and rub on some blistering ointment. 

Should the swelling enlarge, open and allow the pus to 
escape. 

In the treatment of all ulcers keep one point in mind, ■ 
which is, to make an opening at the bottom if you can, to ' 
allow the matter to run out, as matter will always burrow 
toward the bottom. 

This is done by running a seaton through, bringing it out 
just below the 1)ottom of the wound. 

Wash out the sore clean. It should be afterwards bathed 
with any of the healing })reparations for ulcers given in an- 
other page. 

If pipes are formed recpiiring caustic medicine, use either 
chloride of zinc, corrosive sublimate, or any strong escorotic 
to destroy this growth, after which treat as before. 

These difficulties require proper dressing daily. 



94: DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

Fistula of the Withers shoukl be tx-eated in the same 
jiianner. 

The principle of treating these difficulties is the same as 
that for dee^j-seated xdcers. 

Special directions for the treatment of them will be found 
under the head of Ulcers, etc. 

Sweeny. 

All reliable practitioners have discarded Sweeny as a ficti- 
tious disease. It is claimed that Sweeny is the effect of 
diseases of the feet, such as ossification of the latei'al carti- 
lage, contraction, corns, navicidar diseases, etc., ])roducing 
atrophy of the muscles of the shoulder, and their treatment 
would be to remove the cause, and the effect would disap- 
pear. 

To follow a local treatment of Sweeny, or filling-up of 
the shoulder, you do so by the application of most any stim- 
ulating treatment. 

The sim})lest and best, nevei'- failing remedy is the ap[)li- 
cation of soft-soap. 

Horsemen consider it invaluable. Add a little salt to 
soft-soap, and rub on the parts thoroughly four or five times 
during the week. 

Four or five applications will fill up the depression of a 
bad case. 

The regular treatment consists of seatoning and blister- 
ing, but the above will answer for local ti^eatment. 

Sjjavins — two kinds. 

There are two kinds of Spavin, jack and occult or consoli- 
dated joint. 

The first is situated at the upper portion of the metatarsal 
bone at its juncture with cuboid bones. 

Spavins of both kinds have their origin from the same 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 95 

causes — inflammation of the cartilage of the joint in the 
first instance, and extending to idceration of the bone, con- 
sequently liony matter is thrown out, uniting more or less 
of the hock and excess of matter and ulceration of the 
l)ones from the enlargement. 

The causes of Spavin, though numerous, are traceable 
principally to sprains, blows and hard work, or any cause 
exciting inflammation of this part. 




Eone Spavin. 

At the beginning, the symptoms are treacherous. 

Horses are often treated for hip lameness before any en- 
largement makes its appearance. 

The horse, while laboring imder acute inflammation of 
the hock joint, is at first very lame. 

Generally, the tumor makes its appearance from the fifth 
to the eighth week. At times, the lameness is gradual — 
hardly ])erceptible at first — becoming woi'se until there is a 
decided lameness at starting, which will in a short time wear 
off as the horse Ijecomes warmed iip. 

There are various remedies and applications. Some men 
pretend to remove spavins. . The skillful practitioner knows 
better. It will be seen that if such people can remove the 
external tumor, they cannot separate the bones that are 
united, and horses may be spavined without any visible en- 
largement. 



96 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

Blood Spavin. 




Natural actioi). Spavined leg. 

Take cantliavides 2 oz., mercurial ointment 4 m., tinctui-e 
of iodine 3 oz., turpentine 4 oz., corrosive sublimate 3 drams; 
mix well with 1 Bb lard. After well blistered, dress with 
calomel salve. 




Blood Spavin. 

This disease, wlien once well seated, is incurable ; Init if 
taken in its acute state, bandaging tight and kept wet with 
cold water is the best treatment. 

Heaves 
Are i)roduced by driving the horse against a heavy current 
of air, and inhaling an excess of air; thus overcharging the 
lungs, they become ruptui-ed, and when once ruptured, can 
never be cui'ed. The food should be well wet, so that he 
will inhale no dust Avhile eating, as it is very injurious. 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 97 

The dust of a tliresliing-macliine for one day is worse than 
to feed with clover-hay for a month. 

Glanders. 
Glanders is an affection of the glands of the head, and 
may be known by a flow of white matter from one or both 
nostrils, accompanied by an offensive smell. It may be told 
from common distemper, as the secretions from distemper 
will float on water, while that from glanders will sink im- 
mediately. It cannot be cured. Ijut may be relieved. 

Lockjaw, or Tetamcs, 
Is produced from some injury received by the nervous sys- 
tem, injuiy to the spinal column, a rap on the top of the 
head, a nail driven into the quick by the smith, or one 
picked up on the road. 

S?/mptoms. 

He stretches himself at full length, hangs his head down, 
is stiff all over, his jaws immovably fixed. 

Treatment. — Open his bowels with a drench of ten drams of 
aloes, three drams calomel, in one pint of linseed oil. Keep 
him in a comfortable box, feed him on whatever he can 
eat — bran mashes, boiled oats, or, if he is veiy bad, give 
him a slopj^y drink of oat-meal, rye-meal, or linseed-meal,, 
whichever he can take. 

Bots. 

Bots are one of the natural appendages of the stomach of 
a horse — as much so as his lungs, arteries, nerves^ or any 
other essential part of his vital organism. They ncA^er in- 
jure the horse. 

They have been placed in the stomach of all horses by 
nature, for a specific purpose, and no ho.rse can live without 
them in the stomach. 

They are in the stomach of all hoi'ses at the time oP 



98 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

foaling, and number about the same^or no more or less — 
at any age of the horse. They never lose their hold of the 
lining of the stomach under any circumstances. The heart 
Avas given to propel the blood ; the lungs, to breathe ; the 
eye, to see ; the ear, to hear ; and the bots, to aid digestion. 
The life and health of the horse is dependent u})on the bots. 
When the horse is sick- the bots are sick ; any description of 
food good for the hoi-se is good for the bots. They never 
injure a horse except when they become diseased — the same 
as any other vital part. If your horse is over-heated or 
exhausted from work, and is attacked with colic or any 
description of inflammation, the bots suffer equally with the 
hoi'se ; anything given the horse that will kdl the bots, is 
liable to kill the hox'se also. "When you keep your horse in 
good condition, well and regularly fed, there is no danger. 
Bots have been used heretofore to cover up the ignorance of 
the farrier. If your horse dies of inflammation of the brain 
they would say he died of bots ; if he dies of lung fever the 
same thing is said ; if he dies of colic or anything else, it is 
always attributed to the bots — -when, in fact, no horse ever 
died directly from their eflfects. 

The quid has been given to the sheep and cow, so that 
they may belch up their food and ruminate or re-chew it, 
thereby preparing it for the digestive organs, while the bots 
have been given to the horse to perform the same work for 
him, without taxing him with the labor of re-chewing ; be- 
sides, his owner might require some hard or fast work of 
him, just at the time when he should be re-chewing his food. 
The gad-fly or nit-bee has nothing to do with the production 
of the bot, no more than the horse-fly, butfalo-gnat, or any 
other fly ; all the harm they do is the tickling and buzzing 
sensation that they produce in the particularly ticklish por- 
tion of the horse that they visit ; the wasp, hornet, and 
othsr insects, torment horses, yet there are no bots ever at- 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 99 

tributed to any of them ; you can punisli a horse as miich 
with a fine straw oi* a piece of paper twisted to a point, hy 
tickling him under the throat, in the flank, or upon the legs, 
as much as the gad-fly does, or by catching a fly and holding 
close to his ear while it makes a buzzing noise, all of which 
he (attempts to escape from, as much as fi'om the ])resence of 
the gad-fly. It is impossible for him to lick or bite the nits 
from off his legs, belly or throat, without pulling the hair 
off', and as no horse ever swallows any hair, it is impossible 
for them to be carried into the stomach ; besides, there are 
thousands of horses in warm climates, and in stables, that 
never see any gad-flies, yet all horses have bots. 

All that has been written in connection with the gad-flies 
producing bots, and all of the technical terms used to illustrate 
them and their effects, have been to fill works upon the 
horse. 

Bots, as a disease in horses, like that of the lampass and 
many other old notions, will soon be obsolete. 

Lampass. 

Lampass is a fullness and inflammation of the front por- 
tion of the roof of the mouth, near the teeth. 

1 here have to combat witli an old-established opinion, 
that lampass is a disease in horses ; but eighteen years' expe- 
rience has taught me that there is no such disease. 

The gums of all young horses are swollen below the 
teeth, as nature intended they should be, and all of the dis- 
comforts of the horse attributed to lampass, is the effect of 
improper feed and bad care. You never find a horse of five 
yeai-s old with lampers ; at this age the gums recede above 
the' teeth, and continue to do so as they grow older. 

The practice of burning colts for the lampass is a severe and 
savage practice, destroying the roof of the mouth, and th(> 
power of rataining the food until it can be well masticated. 



100 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

The hard gristly bars in the roof of all colts' mouths, have 
been ])laced there by nature for specific purposes. 1st, it is 
quite insensible to the toiich, and with this hard bar he 
])icks grass and grinds his feed while his teeth are tender 
and being shed ; 2nd, a large artery terminates in the roof 
of the mouth, and those bars have been placed there to pro- 
tect it from rupture. To I'elieve him, give him plenty of 
oats and bran well wet up ; give him plenty of carrots, tur- 
nips or potatoes, plenty of nice clover hay, clean water, 
fresh air, a diy bed, and you will never be troubled with 
lanqjass. You might as well burn off onerear, or burn out 
one eye (then he would have one ear to hear with, and one 
eye to see with): but when you burn out his mouth, he has 
nothing to supply it with, and you disable and perpetually 
torture him. 

To Strewjtlip.n the Tendons After Hard Driving, and 
Eedace Swelling of the Legs. 

Camphor Gum 2 o^- 

Gum Myrrh 1 oz. 

Oil of Spike 1 oz. 

Alcohol 1 pt. 

Organum 1 oz. 

Beef's Gall ...... » 1 ordinary size. 

Wash and rub dry, then apply the liniment ; after wliich 
rub dry ; again apply the liniment to the limb and Ijandage 
moderately tight. 

This remedy I consider the best ever used for the purpose 
recommended. 

Grease Heels. 

This is a greasy, white, oflensive discharge fi'om the heels 
of the horse. The skin becomes tender, hot and swollen. 
The acrid character of the discharge causes portions of the 
skin to slo ugh away, leaving an ugly sore. 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 101 

Treatment — with the following ball open the bowels : 

Pulverized Gentian Root 2 drams. 

Barbadoes Aloes 1 oz. 

Pulverized Ginger 1 dram. 

Water sufficient to make the ball. 

Poultice and wash the parts well for two or three days 
with the following : Flaxseed meal, mixed with a solution 
of 2 drams sulphate of zinc, to a pint of water, which — keep 
clean — -bathe often with a solution of chloride of lime or of 
zinc. Glycerine can also be used. 

Scratches — CiLve. 

Glycerine 4 oz. 

Tincture Arnica 4 oz. 

In severe cases, where heels are cracked, add : 

Tincture of Myrrh 2 oz. 

Iodine 1 oz. 

Gunpowder (powdered fine) ^ oz. 

Put in bottle and shake well. 

Apply two or three times a day. First, give the horse a 
few bran mashes. 

Quitter. 

This is a formation of pus between the hoof and the soft 
structure within. A sore at the coronet, or upper jmi't of 
the foot, which at first is a hard, smooth tumor, soon becomes 
soft and breaks, discharging quantities of pus. 

I'reatment. — Poultice the foot for several days with flax- 
seed meal. As soon as the hoof becomes soft, cut away the 
loose portions, but no more, and inject with a syringe the 
following once a day: 

Nitrate of silver, 2 drams in a pint of water ; or 
Chloride of zinc, 2 drams dissolved in a pint of water; or 
Sulphate of zinc, 1-J- drams in a pint of water. 
Glycerine is sometimes used advantageously. 



102 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

Clean the foot well with castile soap and water before 
using tlie wash. 

Mange. 

Place your horse in the sun and scrub him thoroughly 
with castile soap and water ; then wash him well with gas 
water, putting in the water 2 drams of white hellebore to 
the gallon. Then change him from his old stable to another 
one. One washing generally cures permanently. 

Thoroughly scrub the harness and ])ut it away for six or 
eight weeks, as a necessary precaution against the disease. 

Mange Treatment No. 2. 

Linseed Oil 6 oz. 

Oil Turpentine . 4 oz. 

Oil Tar 4 oz. 

Mix. 

Fatal Disease of the Foot. 

The report of the Statistician of the Department of Agri- 
culture, in the Commissioner's report of 1869, states that a 
number of horses have died of a peculiar disease of the foot, 
and says that diagnosis shows a se^mration of the ligaments 
of the coffin-joint and the foot. 

It reads : " The foot turns up, causing the animal to walk 
on the ankle. The flexor-tendons are literally severed from 
the laminte, and the foot will drop off by simply cutting 
tln-ough the skin with a knife. None have ever been cured 
and no one appears to know the cause of the difficulty. 

No cases so extreme as those described by the Statistician 
liave come to our personal knowledge, but we have little 
doubt that it will prove on investigation, which we are mak- 
ing, that the cause of the terrible malady is in the Tise of 
shoes of improper construction, neglect of the form of the 
foot, a proi)er form of which is so essential to health, and 
the too liberal use of cold water on the feet and legs, when 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 103 

the animal was in a heated condition, or too much dampness 
of the stable or pastures in which the animals were kept, or, 
perhaps, all combined. 

Nasal Gleet. 
The result of neglected catarrh is a chronic discharge, from 
one or both nostrils, of a whitish, muco-purulent matter. 

The animal looks, feeds and works well, though he has 
this discharge, which is caused by weakness in the secretory 
vessels of the lining membrane of the nose. 

A treatment on the tonic principle has been successfully 
used in this disorder. Purging and bleeding are decidedly 
hvirtful. 

Give one of the following powders night and morning : 

Carbonate of Iron 1 oz. 

Gentian, pulverized , 1 oz. 

Quassia, " I oz. 

Divide into four powders. 
Or— 

Sequin-chloride of iron .1 oz. 

Cinnamon . . 1 oz. 

Divide into four powders. 
Or— 

Nux "Vomica, pulverized ^ oz. 

Linseed Meal 2 oz. 

Divide into eight powders. 
Or— 

Muriate of Bary tes. ^ oz. 

Linseed Meal 1 oz. 

Divide into eight powders. The best known. One 
should be given night and morning. 

Cure of Farcy. 

Black Antimony 1 oz. 

Saltpetre J lb. 

Sulphur I lb. 



104 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

If acute : Dose — One tablespoonful twice a day. If 
sub-acute, once or twice a week. 

I give for this formidable disease : 

Three drams powdered sulphate of copper, given every 
night in the food until the horse refuses to oat. 

Kepeat in a few days, but if the case is bad, give the 
medicine in water as a drench, for ten days, if he will not 
take it in his food. 

liinghone. 

Many have supposed and asserted that this unsoundness 
in the horse was inheritable. This is erroneous, as Eing- 
bones are the result of injuries, and often occur when the 
colt is but a few days old, especially if it is compelled to 
follow the dam too far on a hard road, before the feet have 
acquired sufficient strength and solidity. Requiring the 
young foal to stand on a hard floor will also produce them. 
They are produced in the horse, after he has arrived at the 
age to be shod, by allowing the toes of the feet to get too 
long ; from slipping on the ice ; shoeing without support to 
the soles ; tramping on the feet l^y other horses, and various 
other causes. 

The Ringbone is a knot, or excrescence of ossified bone, 
usually forming in the region of the articulation of the coffin 
and lower pastern bones ; hence, they destroy, in a greater 
or less degree, the action of that very imjwrtant joint, and 
generally produce permanent lameness. 

Prevention by care and good management is more simple 
than cure. 

In purchasing a horse it will be prudent to examine all 
the feet by the pressure of the finger on the skin all aroimd 
the pastern, from the lower margin of the hair to the height 
of thi-ee inches, as Ringbone may sometimes l^e detected in 
this manner when it is not visible, especially in the incipient 
state. We have seen excrescences form on the bone near 



DISEASES OP THE HORSE. 105 

the foot from bruises, which Jiever produced lameness, though 
they are suspicious blemishes. 

Use a strong blister in its acute state : if of old standing 
its cure is difficult and doubtful. 

Sjmcins in the Stifle. 

Symptoms. — The horse holds up his foot, moans when 
moved, swells in stifle ; this is what is called stifling. There 
is no such thing as this joint getting out of place. It gets 
sprained the same as any other joint, and the patellar may 
slip from its place, which acts as a stay to the joint. 

The tendons and ligaments become conti-acted, and lame- 
ness follows. To relieve it, foment the joint well, stimulate 
it with some strong liniment or a slight blister. 

The Nerve Operation. 

A most barbai'ous operation called "nerving," or "neurot- 
omy," was discovered in England, and was subsequently in- 
ti'oduced into this country ; nothing moi-e disgraceful was 
ever imported into any country claiming civilization. 

It consisted in laying bare, taking up and cutting out 
from an inch to one and a half inches of the metacarpal 
nerve, producing the most excruciating pain. We illus- 
trate the operation for the purpose of exposing the cruelty 
of it, that no one will ever be guilty of such wanton tor- 
ture again. 

By reference to the annexed plate (page 106), it Avill be 
sufficiently explained. 

"We would suggest as a humane substitute for this opera- 
tion, to shoot the horse in the brain, and thus put an end to 
the suflfering of the pitiable animal as speedily as ])ossible. 

If a proper shoe is applied when the horse is first shod, and 
its use continued, all the organs of the foot will be maintained 
in their natural, respective and i-elative positions, and 
health, vigoi" and protracted usefulness will Ije secured, ami 



106 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



there will be no necessity foi' tlie Ijrutal operation of neurot- 
omy. 




References — Upper Section.— a, A prober passoil under the nerve ; h, the nerve; 
c, the artery ; d, the back suiews, or flexor tendons. 

Loioer Section. —a, The nervo; 6, the artery; c, the vehi ; d, a liranch of the 
iisrvo between the vein and artery, not divided in the low operation. 

IIoio to Treat Contracted Feet. 

By reference to tlie foot in the plate illusti'ating the jn-o- 
cess of nerving, thi'ec grooves will be seen in the wall. 

Thesti grooves we make in the hard crust of tlie foot 
of patients suffering from long standing, and severe con- 
traction of the heels. The forward groove is placed 
directly over the points or wings of the coffin-bone, where 
the pressure of the contracted wall is most sevei'e on the 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



107 



metacarpal nei've ; back of tliis we cut two others parallel. 
These grooves should be cut from one-eighth to one-fourth of 
au inch in depth and the same width, according to the 
strength of the wall and the extent of the contractions. 
We use a narrow gouge with which to cut the grooves, and 
cut them before the shoe is set, by placing the bottom of 
the foot on a block some twenty inches in height, and use a 
light mallet to drive the gouge. 

The operation of grooving, three on the outer and two on 
the inner sides of the foot, does not require more than five 
to ten minutes, and may be done by any person of ordinary 
judgment, as it only requii-es a little care not to cut the 
groove so deep as to disturb the sensitive portion of the 
foot, which will be indicated by blood showing in the bot- 
tom of the groove, a slight show of which need not alarm 
the operator, though it is preferable to take sufficient time 
and care in performing the operation, to do it in the best 




Shoe for Spreading: the Heel. 

possible manner, as it doubles the vahie of the horse the in- 
stant the operation is completed and our shoe for spreading 
the heel is properly set. The above cut is a drawing of 
this shoe, with five nail- holes in front and none in the heels. 



108 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

This shoe is generally understood by the skilled black- 
smith, and requires great care in the fitting to make it per- 
form its desired work, which is to spread the heel slowly. 

It will be seen by the cut that the portion of the shoe 
I'esting on the heel is about one-eighth of an inch higher on 
the inside than on the outside at the heel. In fact, the shoe 
is eon vexed from the last nail to the heel. The cut repi'e- 
sents the surface of the shoe next to the hoof. The shoe 
should be a trifle wider at the heel than the hoof. Care 
must be taken that the shoe does not rest on the sole of the 
foot, but bear on the wall. 

The best way to fit this shoe is to fit it cold as well as 
you can. Then heat it and apply it to the hoof, and make 
an impression on the foot with the hot shoe. This will en- 
able the smith to get a better fit than he could by fitting it 
cold. After these grooves are made in the hoof, and tho 
above shoe properly fitted, it will at once double the value 
of the horse. 

Founder. 

Founder is produced by the sudden transition from heat 
to cold. For instance, by driving a horse until he is hot, 
then allowing him to stand in a cold current of air, or giving 
him a heavy draught of cold water while warm, thereljy 
checking the circulation of the blood to the extremities. ]t 
is frequently produced by driving fast on hard roads, which 
pi'oduces inflammation of the delicate j^lates called laminte, 
by which the hoof is attached to the sensitive foot. It also 
occurs from overloading the stomach by too much wheat, 
oats, barley or peas, as is often seen when a hoi'se gets loose 
during the night, getting to the grain-bin • the food, taken 
into the stomach in such large quantities, and a portion of it 
dry, when wet by the stomach, swells to such an extent that 
it prevents the blood from circulating, and produces 
founder. 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 109 

No laor-se will be foundered from giving him his ordinary 
amount of feed at any time. Symptoms : Shivei-ing and 
uneasiness ; he refuses his food, moves about with the fore- 
feet, and seems restless ; the mouth is hot, the pulse full 
and quickened ; soon the pain in the feet becomes evi- 
dent, he sometimes inclines to lie, points with the muzzle to 
the feet, which are found hot and tender; he advances 




them in front, resting principally on the heels; while the 
hind-feet are well drawn under him ; on backing him, he 
backs with i-eluctance : when forced back, he drags one foot 
after the other, evincing considerable pain in so doing. 

When moved forwaixl he walks on the hee/s, his move- 
ments being slow and difficult. The bowels are costive and 
fever runs high. 

Treatment.— (Mve the horse a good bedding of straw, in 
a large, well-ventilated stall, so as to encourage him to lie 
down, which, by removing the weight from the inflamed 
parts, will relieve his sufferings very much, and assist in 
hastening the cure. As soon as his bed is fixed, give liim 
twenty drops of the tincture of aconite-root in a half-jiint 
of cold water, poured into his mo\ith with a bottle having a 
strong neck, and repeat this dose every four hours until six 



110 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



or eiglit doses have been given. Also a,p2)ly a cloth wet in 
ice-watev to the feet, and keep wet with the same for several 
hours until the severe pain has been relieved. Wet the 
cloths often, and continue for two or three days, or longer if 
necessary. Give plenty of cold water to drink. The above 
treatment should be adopted as soon as possible after the 
horse has been attacked with founder. Let the horse have 
rest until he has fully recovered. Give grass or mashes for 
two or three days, and then give a good and fair amount of 
feed. 




Einghone. 

This cut represents the seat of the ringbone. Fig. 1, the 
joint between the pastern-bones; Fig. 2, the joint between 
the lower pastern (or small pastern) and the cofSn-bone. 




8pli7its. 

This cut shows the location of the different splints on the 
fore leg. Fig. 1 — A splint near the knee; Fig. 2, a low 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



Ill 



splint; Fig. 3, a small bony growth on tlie front of the leg, 
also called splint. 




Curb. 

This is one of the many diseases of the hock-joint, and 
consists of an enlargement or gradual bulging out at the 
posterior part of the hock. [See above cut.] 




SJiOuldeo'-jomt Lameness. 

This difficulty, being located in the joint, is mucli more 
serious than the shoulder lameness just described, and it 
is more difficult to effect a perfect cure of it. 

S'(/mptoms. — The animal drags the leg, with the toe on 
the ground, and throws the leg out in attempting to move it. 
It is with great difficulty that he can raise his foot. 

Treatvient. — If the treatment is not put off too long, a 
cure may reasonably be expected, if the following directions 



112 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

are followed. This disease, being similar to a spavin in the 
hock-joint, should have similar treatment. If the part is 
very hot, reduce the temperature by cold cloths ; or ])erhaps 
hot fomentations may work well instead of the cold; then 
apply a mild blister. 

To Kill Lice on Horses. 

Place your horse in a warm i)lace and wash him thoi'- 
oughly with 1 ounce of arsenic dissolved in a pail of water. 

Hen and human lice tlnive well on hor.iies, and the above 
recipe will always exterminate them. 

Condition Poivders. 

Gentian Root, pulverized 2 oz. 

Anise Seed, pulverized 1 oz. 

Ginger , 1 lb. 

Tenugreek Seed 1 oz. 

Seed of Sumach Berries, pulverized ........ 1 oz. 

Antimony ^ 1 oz. 

Mix with one pound of brown sugar. Nothing better for 
colds and coughs, and to improve a horse's appetite. 

Liniment of Extraordinary Merit for all Purposes. 

Turpentine . 1 j)int. 

Apple Vinegar 1 pint. 

Eggs ..... 1 ])int. 

Chloroform 1 dram. 

Carbolic Acid 1 dram. 

Bottle tight and shake well before using. 

Condition Poivder. 

Ashes 1 quart. 

Flax-seed Meal ......,...,..,. 1 quart. 

Salt 2 tablepoonsful. 

Mustard 1 tablespoonful. 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 113 

Saltpeti-e 1 tablespoonful. 

Cayenne Pepper 1 teaspoonfiil. 

Dose — Two tablespoonsful once a day. 

Diuretic Drops. 

These drops will be found good for the stoppage of water, 
foul water, or inflammation of the kidneys. 

Gum Camphor, pulverized 1 oz. 

Sweet S2:)irits of Nitre 4 oz. 

Treatment for Cuts or Wounds. 

If the wound or cut is very bad, trim the hair off 
closely around the edges, and wash carefully with castile 
soap and warm water. 

The object next is to produce a granulating process. 

In all cases of wounds, cuts or ulcers, of any kind, you 
should bear in mind that the importance of washing the 
matter, or syringing it, from the affected part, with castile 
soap and warm Avater, daily, and a dependent opening must 
be made to allow the matter to escape from the wound. 

Matter, in every case, burrows or pockets, and the princi- 
ple is the same in every case. 

Use caustics to cut out all fungus or diseased growths, 
and using, proportionately, more stimulating medicine for 
indolent ulcei's than for those in a fresh state. 

The following ointment is unsurpassed for curing cuts and. 
fresh wounds on horses : 

Beeswax ^ R. 

Palm Oil 21 lbs. 

Lard 2 lbs. 

Gum Turpentine a ^• 

Calamine 1 Bj. 

Simmer over a slow fire and stir well together until thor- 



114 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

oughly mixed. "VVasli the wound well with Avarm water and 
castile soap, and apply the ointment once a day. 

A Simj)le Healing Preparation. 

Water | innt. 

Tincture Myrrh 1 oz. 

Tincture Aloes 2 oz. 

Mix, and apply once a day. 

Ointment for Healing Cuts, Galls, Etc. 

Carbolic Acid 6 grains. 

Lard 1 oz. 

Oxide of Zinc, pulverized fine ..... 4 drams. 

Melt the lard and stir in the zir.c. 
Add the carbolic acid and mix thoroughly. 
By applying this ointment once or twice a day to the in- 
jured part, it will cause a healthy discharge from a foul 

ulcer. 

Liniment for Open Wounds. 

White Vitriol. . . . 2 oz. 

Sulphate of Copper. ..................... 1 oz. 

Muriate of Soda (Salt) 2 oz. 

Linseed Oil . 2 oz. 

Orleans Molasses 8 oz. 

Boil the above ingredients in a pint of urine, for fifteen 
minutes. When nearly cold, add 1 oz. oil of vitriol and 4 oz. 
spirits of turpentine, and bottle for use. 

To quickly set the wound to discharging, apply the lini- 
ment to the wound with a cpiill, which will perform a cure 
in a few days. 

Valuable Viash for Fresh Wounds. 

Copperas 1 teaspoonful. 

Fine gunpowder 2 teaspoonfuls. 

White Vitriol .................. 1 teaspoonful. 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 115 

Add 1 quart of boiling water. Let it stand until cool. 
For deep wounds apply with the syringe. 

Liniment for Foul Ulcers. 

Nitric Acid , 2 oz. 

Sulphate of Copper 1 oz. 

Water , 8 to 12 oz. 

CooUnj Liniment for External Inflaramation. 

Vinegar 2 oz. 

Spirits of Wine 3 oz. 

Goulard extract 1 oz. 

Water 1|- pints. 

Apply with a bandage. 

For Lnjlamed Leg, Galled Bach or Shoulders. 

Spirits of Wine .2 oz. 

Vinegar 4 oz. 

Sal. Ammoniac 1 oz. 

Tincture Arnica 2 drams. 

Water ^ pint. 

Mix and bathe often and thoroughly. 

Sticking Plaster for Cuts and Wounds. 

Tallow 2 oz. 

Burgundy Pitch 4 oz. 

Spread on linen while hot. Cut in strips of pi'oper length 
and width. First, draw the cut together, warm the strips and 
apply them. Cut the hair short where you apply the strips. 

Wash for Reducing Inflamed Wounds, 

Crotus Martes 1 oz. 

Sulphate of Zinc 1 oz. 

Sugar of Lead ^ oz. 

Water 1 pint. 

Prevents bad smell in sores. 



116 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

To Prevent Swelling, Following a Bruise or Sprain. 

Tinctui-e Ai-nica 2 oz. 

Cold Water ..... 1 qt. 

Anodyne Stimulating Liniment. 

Sulphuric Ether 1| oz. 

Spirits of Turpentine i oz. 

Spirits of Hartshorn. 1 i- oz. 

Sweet Oil. f oz. 

Oil of Cloves. -^- oz. 

Chloroform , 1 oz. 

This liuimant relieves pain and is unsurpassed for strains, 
lameness and soreness. Put the liniment in a strong eight- 
ounce bottle, cork tight, and keep in the dark. When 
used rub in well. . 

Magic Liniment. 

Organum.. . 2 oz. 

Hemlock , 2 oz. 

Oil of Spike. . 2 oz. 

Sweet Oil 4 oz. 

Wormwood 2 oz. 

Spirits Ammonia. . 2 oz. 

Spirits Tui'pentinc 2 oz. 

Gum Camphor. 2 oz. 

Proof Spirits (90 per cent) 1 qt. 

Bottle tight after mixing. 

It is beneficial for bruises, sprains, etc., and a fine counter 
irritant for inflammation and pleurisy. 

For New Strains. 

Carbonate Ammonia 2 oz. 

Apple Vinegar h gill. 

Rub in well. 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 117 

Healing Compound. 

Calamine, j^ulverized 2 drams. 

Grum Camphor 1 dram. 

Prepared Chalk 1 oz. 

Burnt Alum ^ oz. 

Mix. 

Sprinkle on the affected part, and in a few hours it will 
heal. G-ood for collar or saddle galls, fresh wounds, and for 
any sore or lacerated mouths, or any trouble requiring great 
astringent healing properties. 

This wonderful powder is well known by having been ex- 
tensively advertised thi'ough this country. 

Caustics. 

Substances used to burn away tissues of the body by de- 
composition of their elements are termsd caustics, and are 
valuable in destroying fuagus growth and renew a healthy 
action. 

Nitrate of silver is excellent to lower granulation. 

Corrosive sublimate in powder acts energetically. 

Salpaate of copper is not so strong as nitrate of silver, 
but good. 

Chloride of zinc is a powerful caustic. It may be used 
in sinuses ; in solution, 7 drams in a pint of water. 

Mild Caustics. 

A wound or ulcer will n^t heal while there remains any 
foreign substance in the shape of splinters, pieces of bone, 
hair, etc. 

No matter what treatment you subject the Avound to, it 
will not heal so long as foreign substances remain in the 
cut. 

Wash with, or inject, warm water and castile soa}), after 
which the regular digestive ointment can be used. But if 



118 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

fungus gTOwths cannot be removed with the knife, use a 
caustic — a little of which is to be put on the ])art or in the 
sinews. Carrying this treatment in the exti-eme implies 
using a hot iron (the actual cautery). 

Balls for Farcy. 

No. 1 — Calomel .20 grains. 

Common Turpentine 3 drams. 

Sulphate of Copper 1 dram. 

Syrup and liquorice to form a ball. 

No. 2 — Iodide of Potassium 10 grains. 

Sulphate of Iron 2 drams. 

Gentian 2 drams. 

Ginger .... 1 dram. 

Treacle to form a l>all. 

Another Diabetes Remedy. 

Alum , . |- dram. 

Catechu -J^ oz. 

Sugar of Lead 10 grains. 

With conserve of roses to form a ball. 

Cough Balls. 

No. 1 — Digitalis -| dram. 

Nitre .................... ......... 1| drams. 

Tartar Emetic , | dram. 

Tar enough to form a ball. One every night. 

No. 2 — -Gum Ammoniac 3 drams. 

Opium I dram. 

Powdered Squills. .................... 1 dx-ara. 

Syrup to form ball. 

For Bloody Urine. 
Sulphate of Zinc. ................... 40 grains. 

Catechu . 4 drams. 

Acetate of Lead 10 grains. 

Conserve of roses to form a ball. Give one daily. 



.r DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 119 

Condition Poioder. 

Tliis is the best tonic Condition Powder ever used, and is 
sold in the Eastern cities at a high price, under various 
names, such as Condition Food, etc. 

Salt If ft)S. 

Common Brown Sugar 6 lbs. 

Carbonate Soda 6 oz. 

Ginger (ground) | Bb, 

Gentian (powdered) | lb. 

Cummin Seed (ground) 6 oz. 

Fenugreek (ground) 6 oz. 

Grains Paradise (ground) J lb. 

Meal 100^ lbs. 

Dose — One pint with the food. 

Incurable Diseases. 

There are some diseases or afflictions to which the horse 
is subject, which, when thoroughly established, are incura- 
ble ; among which are heaves, cribbing, thumps, wiudsuck- 
ing, bog and bone spavins, curbs, ringbones and exosotosis on 
the joints. This latter class of unsoundness may, however, 
be palliated in incipiency, by blistering, but it should be 
administered by a skilled veterinarian. If not, the effect 
of the treatment may be worse than the disease. 

Watering Horses. 

The water from ponds, streams or rain-water cistei'ns, is 
much preferable to that from cold springs or wells, as the 
temperature of it is more natural and more conducive to 
health than cold water, and it is generally softer, a desirable 
quality of water for all animals. If the horse is to be 
driven rapidly, he should be watered frecpiently with tei)id 
water, and there is great economy in removing the chill 
from the water used for idle animals in cold weather. 



120 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 

The food saved by observing this, will pay many times 
the cost of tempering the water drank. It is very inju- 
dicious to water horses when away from home, with cold 
water, when they have been accustomed to warm water at 
home, as it is lial^le to produce lung fever, chills and severe 
colic. 

Bare Feet for Farm Horses. 

Horses used only on the farm and earth roads are better 
off without shoes in summer, unless the land is very rough 
and stony. There is not only the saving of the cost of shoe- 
ing, but all the destructive effects arising from shoeing in 
the ordinary way will be avoided. By working the horse 
barefooted, the natural organs of support are used, and a 
healthful condition of the feet is maintained. 

It is well, however, to examine the bare feet twice a 
year, and in case they wear or grow irregularly, they should 
be pai'ed to the proper shape. 

Horses used for the road in winter should be sharp shod, 
but these shoes shoidd be removed at the commencement of 
the plowing season. 



A VALUABLE ESSAY 



ON" 



HORSE-SHOEING. 




A few years ago the Scottish Society for the Prevention 
of Cruelty to Animals offered a series of prizes for the best 
and most practical essays on horse-shoeing, in connection 
with comfoi't and soundness of the horse. About fifty es- 
says were sent in, and were submitted to Prof. Williams, 
Principal of the Edinburgh Veterinary College ; Mr. W. 
Robertson, M. R. C. V. S., Kelso, and Mr. B. Cartledge, 
M. P. C. V. S., Sheffield, Examiners* of the Royal College 
of Veterinary Surgeons, and Mr. J. C. Broad, M. R. C.V. S., 
London, by whom, after a very j^atient and careful exami- 
nation, the first prize was awarded to Mr. George Fleming 
for the following essay : 



122 HORSE-SHOEING. 

It requires but little observation and reflection, one would 
think, in order to arrive at the conclusion that the art of 
horse-shoeing is not only an important one, so far as civili- 
zation and the ordinary every-day business of life is con- 
cerned, but that the successful utilization of the Horse, to- 
gether with its welfare and comfort, in a great measure 
depend upon the correctness of the principles on which its 
practice is based, and the mode in which these principles 
are carried out by the artisan. 

For proof of this we have but to glance at the immense 
traflic in our great towns and cities in which the horse fig- 
ures so • prominently, at the same time remembering that, 
without a defence to its hoofs, this invaluable animal would 
be almost, if not quite, valueless, in consequence of the 
hardness of our artificial roads, and the great efforts de- 
manded from him ; or, studying the anatomy and functions 
of the limbs and feet, to call to mind how these are wonder- 
derfully calculated to serve most essential purposes in loco- 
motion and weight-sustaining, and how necessary it is, at 
the same time, that their natural adaptability be as little as 
possible thwarted or annulled by the interference of man in 
his endeavor to protect or aid them. 

From the earliest ages, the horse's foot and its envelop, 
the hoof, have been looked upon by horsemen as the prin- 
cipal region of the animal's body to which care and attention 
should be directed ; as, when these become injured or dis- 
eased, no matter how perfect and sound the other parts may 
be, the quadruped's services are diminished or altogether 
lost. 

Consequently, the preservation of these in an efficient and 
healthy state has ever been the aim of those who valued the 
Horse for the immense advantages his services were capable 
of conferring on mankind ; and in later years, those who 
have been moved by the sacred impulse of humanity toward 



HORSE-SHOEING. 123 

the lower creatures liave not forgotten how ni\ich the noble 
animal may suffer from unskillful management of its feet> 
through the neglect or ignorance of thase who have the 
special care of these organs. 

At a very early period in the domestication of the Horse, 
and particularly in western I'egions, it must have been soon 
discovered that, at certain seasons, on particular soils, and 
especially when called upon to perform any great amount of 
traveling and load-carrying, the horn composing the hoof 
underwent an amount of wear greater than nature could 
compensate for, and that the living sensitive structures 
Avithin, becoming exposed and irritated by contact with the 
ground, gave rise to pain, lameness and inability to work. 

To guard against this serious result, the ingenuity of man 
must have been severely tested in devising a suitable and 
durable protection for the ground-surface of the hoof, and 
among the many contrivances proposed, the most notable, 
and by far. the most valuable, has been the device of nailing 
a plate of metal to the oiiter margin or wcdl of the hoof. 

The antiquity of this invention is veiy great, and it is 
probable that for many centuries the shoe was considered 
as nothing more than a simple defender of the hoof from 
the damaging effects of attrition, and occasionally as an aid 
in securing the animal's foothold during progression on slip- 
peiy ground. 

As time advanced, however, and the services of the Horse- 
became increased a hundredfold by the application of this 
ingenious and simple expedient, the sciences of anatomy and 
physiology began to embrace the Horse in their domain, 
and, crude as they were at first, it is to be feai*ed that, when 
they were extended to the investigation of the structure and 
functions of the foot, the useful and comparatively harmless 
pi'otection of early days was made subservient to tlie most 
varied and fantastic theories ; and it must be admitted that 



124 HORSE-SHOEING. 

for many years horse-shoeing, so far from proving a boon to 
horse-owners and a preserver of horses' feet, has been far 
from yielding the benefits its scientific and reasonable appli- 
cation should afford. Indeed, it would be no exaggeration 
to assert that the predominating principles and practice of 
this art have been eminently destructive to horses and a 
source of great loss to their owners. 

These principles were founded on a misconception of tlie 
functions of the foot and of the part assumed by the hoof in 
locomotion, and their speedy popularization was due to the 
fact that they were congenial to the whims of fashion and 
were deemed essential to the improvement of nature, com- 
mending themselves to um^easoning and unreasonable minds 
like the fashions of cropping horses' and dogs' ears, cutting, 
nicking and docking tails, and other cruel fancies of depraved 
tastes. 

The amount of injury inflicted by an unscientific method 
of shoeing maybe very much greater than a cursory inquiry 
would lead one to believe. To those experienced among 
horses, and who have directed their attention closely to the 
subject, the proportion of animals whose utility is directly 
or indirectly impaired by improj^er treatment of their feet 
must appear excessive, when compared with the other causes 
of inefficiency. Indeed, maladies of the feet and limbs, 
due, more or less, to faulty shoeing, form a very large per- 
centage of the cases usually met with in veterinary practice. 

An art, therefore, which has so much influence for good 
or evil, so far as the usefulness and comfort of the horse are 
concerned, surely deserves the serious study of all those who 
are interested in that animal. A good system, founded on 
the teachings of anatomy and physiology, and perfected 
by daily experience, must prove of immense benefit to 
horse and owner ; while a bad system, conducted in ignor- 
ance or carlessness, cannot but bring about pain and speedy 
uselessness to the animal and loss to the proprietor. 



HORSE-SHOEING. 



125 



ANATOMY OF THE HORSE'S FOOT. 

One of the primary considerations for those who 
have the shoeing and management of the horse's foot, 
should be the acquisition of a knowledge of its struc- 
ture and functions in health ; not a profound knowledge, 
certainly, such as the scientific veterinarian requires, 




Fig. 1.— Section of the Horse's Foot —a a, Skin of lej;; hhli, extensor tendon 
of foot ; c, its insertion into the foot-bone ; d d, caosular ligament of joints ; 
d' d', flexor tendon of foot inserted into srle of foot-bone CsJ; e e, flexor ten- 
don of pastern inserted at/ into the snial pastern bone, i; g, shank or large 
metacarpal bone; h, large pastern bone; A", navicular bone; /, foot or pedal 
bone ; m, ligaments of nav'cular bone connected with deep flexor tendon ; n, 
sensitive laminje, dovetailing with horny lamina;, n'; o, plantar cushion ; p, 
coronary cushion; q, hoiny frog; r, wall of hoof; t, sensitive membrane of 
frog and solo ; u, the face of the navicular bone over which the flexor tendon 
plays— the seat of navicular disease. 

but sufficient to enable them to understand the sit- 
uation, relation, texture, and uses of the parts of the 
organ with which they have more particularly to deal. If 
the artisan does not possess this knowledge, is it })ossi]ile 
that he can practice his handicraft to advantage, or minister 
effectually to the vai'ied requirements of this organ ] It 



126 IIORSE-SHOEING. 

uuist be admitted tliat lie cannot do so ; and it is from neg- 
lect of this fundamental consideration that so much im- 
proper and vicious shoeing prevails, and that so many horses 
are cri})pled and prematurely worn out. By the majority of 
farriers the foot of the horse is looked upon as little, if any- 
thing, more than an insensiljle Ijlock of horn which they may 
carve and mutilate with im})unity and as suits their fancy, 
and for which nothing niorc is necessary than the attach- 
ment, by an unreasonable number of nails, of a clumsy 
mass of iron that may not only be unsuitable for its require- 
ments, but ])Ositively injurious to it and the other parts of 
the limb. The art of farriery in this countiy lias never re- 
ceived a scientific development, but has ever been a mere 
afiair of routine and tradition. Such should not be the 
case ; and allusion is only made to this matter liere in order 
to ui-ge most strenuously the necessity for farriers being 
properly instructed in the elements of their art, and made 
to com]:>rehend as much as may be recpiired of the construc- 
tion and functions of the very important organ upon which 
they are destined to exercise their skill. 

The horse's foot may by said, for ])ractical purposes, to be 
intended not only as an organ of support and defence (or 
offence), but also as that part of the limb in Avhich the efforts 
created elsewhere are concentrated, and as the instrument 
through which propulsion and progression may be mainly 
effected. It is also largely endowed, in a natural state, 
with the sense of touch, which enables the animal to travel 
with safety and confidence on rough as well as even, and on 
soft as well as hard ground. 

"Wlien we come to examine it in a methodical and careful 
manner, we find that it has for its basis the last three bones 
of the limb — the small pastern, navicular, and coffin or pedal 
Ijone. The latter is more particularly the foundation of the 
foot, and is the nucleus on which the hoof is moulded, and 



HORSE-SHOEING. 127 

wliicli in sliape it mucli resembles. At its highest point in 
front, tlie large extensor tendon of the foot is inserted, 
and in the middle of its lower face or sole is implanted 
the powerful tendon which bends or flexes the foot ; 
these tendons are the chief agents in progression. An 
elastic apparatus .surrounds them and a portion of the pedal 
bone, and the whole is enveloped by a membrane that 
attaches the hoof in the closest possible manner to its outer 
•surface. Into each of the wings or sides of the bone (for it 
is crescent-shaped, the horns extending backward on each 
side) is fixed a large plate of cartilage that rises above the 
hoof, where it may readily be felt, and which has important 
relations with its fellow on the opposite side, as well as with 
other elastic bodies admirably disposed to sustain weight, 
prevent jar, and insure that lightness and springiness which 
foi"m so striking a feature iu the horse's movements. The 
navicular bone is a narrow piece, placed transversely 
between the wings of the coffin bone, and is intended to 
throw the flexing tendon farther from the centre of motion, 
and thus increase its power ; the tendon plays over] its pos- 
terior or lower face, and this disposition, together with the 
relations established between it and the pedal bone through 
their connecting ligaments, and the bend the tendon makes 
in passing over it, cause this part of the foot to be one par- 
ticularly liable to disease, and one especially deserving of 
attentive study. 

The elastic apparatus of the foot consists of (1) the lateral 
cartilages just mentioned; (2), a prominent ring or cornice 
surrounding the upper border of the pedal bone usually 
known as the " coronary-substance," but which might bcf 
more aptly designated the " coronary cushion " ; this lit.s 
into a corresponding concavity in the iixaer and upper mar- 
gin of wall of the hoof, and, besides acting as an elastic bo^ly 
or cushion, performs the important function of secreting this 



128 HORSE-SHOEING. 

wall or cnist of the horny envelop ; (3), a triangular body — ■ 
the plantar cushion, known to farriers as the " fatty " or 
"sensitive frog" (to distinguish it from the horny frog 
which immediately covei-s it), admirably disposed be- 
tween the wings of the coffin bone, with a view to pro- 
tect and sustain the flexor tendon during its efforts, as well 
as to diminish concussion by its own resiliency and by tie 
connection it has with the elastic cartilages. From its posi- 
tion at the back part of the foot, and the impoi-tance of the 
parts it covers, this portion of the elastic apparatus derives 
much interest, and must not be overlooked by the farrier. 



FtG. 2. — Horse's Foot divested of its Hoof.— a a, Perioplic ring' ; 6 6, perioplic 
or coronary fissure ; c c c, coronary cushion covered with villi ; d d, white 
zone; ///, vascular laminae terminating- in villi, cf. 

Besides the elastic apparatus of the foot more immedi- 
ately in connection with the pedal and navicular bones, we 
have the wonderful arrangement of living membrane envel- 
oping these parts, whose office appears to be the secretion 
and attachment of the horny box we designate the " hoof ;" 
to it large quantities of blood are conveyed by the ultimate 
ramifijations of the arteries proceeding to the foot, and 
from it, by a complex distribution of veins arising from 
these ultimate arterial divisions, to the great venous trunks 
that pass up the limb. The terminal twigs of the sensory 
nerves of the foot ai'e also freely and wisely distributed in 



HORSE-SHOEING. 129 

its substance in tlie form of exceedingly fine filaments, 
which endow the organ with a sufficient sense of touch to 
enable it to perform its varied functions with safety and pre- 
cision. A peculiar and striking disposition of this mem- 
brane can be observed around the front and sides of the 
pedal bone, when the hoof has been removed by steeping 
the foot for some time in water. This disposition consists 
in the elevation of the membrane into parallel vertical 
leaves, which extend from the coronary cushion to the lower 
border of the bone, and to a certain distance within its 
wings. These leaves, which resemble in appearance those 
on the under side of a mushroom, are known as the " vas- 
cular " or '• sensitive lamin£e," and number between six and 
seven hundi-ed. Their chief use seems to be to afibrd a wide 
and close attachment for the wall of the hoof, within which, 
through their agency, the pedal bone is, as it were, sus- 
pended ; so that the relations between bone and hoof are 
not so rigid as if they were directly united to each other. 
These laminse are exceedingly vascular and sensitive, and 
when they become inflamecl through bad shoeing, excessive 
traveling, or other cause, the horse suffers the most excru- 
ciating pain, and in a large majority of cases the chronic 
inflammation that remains produces serious alterations in 
the structui-e and foi^mation of the hoof, leading to more or 
less lameness and diminished utility. 

Besides entering into the formation of these leaves, this 
membi-ane covers the other parts of the foot within the hoof, 
as a sock does the human foot, and endows it with a high 
degree of vitality and secretory power. It overspi'eads the 
coronary and plantar cushions, as well as the sole of the 
pedal bone, and its surface in these parts is thickly studded 
with myriads of tufts or " villi," which give it the appear- 
ance of the finest Genoa velvet. These minute processes 
vary in length from one-eighth to more than one-fourth of 



130 " HORSE-SHOEma. • — 

an inch, and are loest observed when a foot, from which, the 
hoof has just been removed by maceration, is suspended in 
clear water. Examined with the microscope, they are found 
to be merely prolongations from the face of the membrane, 
each composed of one or two minute arteries, which branch 
off into exceedingly fine net-work, and end in hair-like veins. 
A nervous filament has also been traced into the interior, 
so that these tufts are not only vascular, but also sensitive. 
They play an essential part in the formation of the hoof, 



Fia. 3. — Sen!5Itive Solb or Horse's Foot.— a, Cartilag-inous bulbs of the heel?, 
covered by sensitive membrane ; 6, inflexion of the coronary cushion ; c, mid- 
dle cleft or lacuna ; d d, plantar laminaj ; e, limit between the coronaiy cush- 
ion and plantar laininaj ; //, branches of the plantar cushion ; g g g.g, termi- 
nation of the laminsB in villi ; h h, sensitive membrane of sole covered with 
innumerable fine tufts or villi ; i, jirolongation of the coronary cushion into 
the lateral lacuna. 

and their relations to that covering must not be neglected 
by the farrier in his treatment of it. 

This is all that n3ed be said at present with regard to the 
anatomy of the living parts of the horse's foot ; we have 
referred to it merely to show that this organ is not a crude 
block of insensitive matter, but a most wonderfully -con- 
structed apparatus, possessed of qualities which are not to 
be found in any other part of the body. In constructing 
the foot of this noble creature. Nature sought to do more 
than merely protect the extremely delicate and exquisitely 



HORSE-SHOEING. 131 

sensitive structures contained witliin the hoof from injurious 
contact with the ground. This redouljtable difficulty is 
comparatively insignificant in comparison Avith the other 
portions of the task she set herself. It was necessary that 
the lower extremity of the limb of such a glorious creation 
as the horse, should he an organ endowed with the acutest 
sense of touch for the instantaneous perception of the con- 
sistence and inequalities of the ground over which it moved • 
and, while it possessed this quality in a high degree, it was 
also indispensable that it should ba gifted with the pi'oper- 
ties of resistance, pliability and lightness to the extent 
necessary for the support and progression of the body, in 
addition to the rigidity essential to impulsion, the elasticity 
and suppleness needful to avert reactions or jar, and the 
durability and rapidity of renovation demanded by incessant 
wear. Here we have a combination of requirements whose 
simultaneous existence in one organ might almost be deemed 
incompatible, so opposite do they appear ; insensibility with 
a delicate sense of touch ; resistance with lightness, rigidity 
with elasticity, suppleness with durability. 

THE HOOF. 

Tlae "hoof" plays no small share in rendering the horse 
s'.Tch a complete animal as it is ; and, as this is the portion 
of the foot which comes more immediately under the care 
and manipulative skill of tlie farrier, its study should be a 
little more detailed and minute, perhaps, than that of the 
internal structures. For convenience and simplicity in 
description, it has been divided into " wall " or " crust," 
" sole," ■" frog," and " coronary frog-band," or " periople." 
It is essential that the shoer should understand the struc- 
ture, nature, and uses of these parts. 

The Wall of the hoof is that oblique portion which covers 
the front and sides of the foot from the coronet to the 



132 



HORSE-SHOEING. 



ground, and is suddenly inflected or bent inward at the 
lieels, toward the middle of the sole, to form the " bars," 
which are merely prolongations of its extremities ; it consti- 
tutes the circumference or mai-gin of the hoof, is the part of 
the horny box that is intended more especially to come into 
contact with the ground, and is that on which the iron de- 
fense rests, and through which the farrier drives the nails 
that attach it. The inner face of its upper edge is hollowed 
out into a somewhat wide concavity, which receives, or 
rather in which rests, the coronary cushion ; this concavity 




Fig. 4.— Profile oy a Five-year-old Front Hoof that had never p.eex Shod ; 
EXTERNAL FACE.— Angle of Wall at toe 51° ; a a, froj,'--band or periople ; h, wall; 
c, toe, between which and,fi is the "outside " or " inside " toe or " mammilla," 
and between e and / the " outside " or " inside " heel. 

is chiefly remarkable for being pierced everywhere by count- 
less minute openings which penetrate the substance of the 
wall to some depth ; each of these perforations receives one 
of the "villi," or minute tufts of blood-vessels already men- 
tioned as prolonged from the face of the membrane covering 
the interior of the foot. Below this concavity, which receives 
a large share of the horse's weight, the wall is of about equal 
thickness from top to bottom ; on the whole of its inner 
surface are ranged thin, narrow, vertical horny plates, in 
number cori-esponding to the vascular laminre, between 
which they are so intimately received or dovetailed — a 
horny leaf between every two vascular ones — that in the 



HORSE-SHOEING. 133 

living 01' fresh state it is almost impossible to disunite with- 
out tearing them. The inner face of the lower mai-gin is 
united in a solid manner to the horny sole through the me- 
dium of a narrow band of soft, light-colored horn, situated 
between the two, and which we may call the " white line," 
or " zone." 

The outer sui-face of the wall is generally smooth and 
shining in the natural healthy state. 

The dimensions of the wall vaiy in different situations • 
in front it is deepest and thickest, but toward the quarters 
and heels it diminishes in height and becomes thinner ; at 
its angles of inflection — the points of the heels — it is strong. 
Its structure is fibrous ; the fibres pass directly parallel to 
each other from the coronet to the ground, each fibre being 
moulded on, as it is seci'eted by, one of the minute tufts of 
blood-vessels lodged in the cavity at the coronet. Micro- 
scopically, the wall is composed of minute cells, closely com- 
pressed, and arranged vertically around each fibre, and hori- 
zontally between the fibers, A point of much practical inter- 
est is to be found in the fact that the fibers on the surface 
or outside of the wall, are very dense, close, and hard — so 
dense, indeed, that the wall of an unmutilated hoof looks 
like whalebone ; but toward the imier surface they become 
softer, more spongy, and easily cut. 

The Homvy Sole is contained within the lower margin of 
the wall, and is a concave plate covering the lower face of 
the pedal bone. In structure it is fibrous like the wall, 
the fibers passing in the same direction, and formed in the 
same manner by the tufts of vessels projected from the 
membrane which immediately covers the bone. These tufts 
penetrate the hoim fibers to some depth, and, as in the wall, 
maintain them in a moist, supple condition, such as best fits 
them for their office. 

The sole is thickest around its outer border^ where it 



134 HORSE-SHOEING. 

joins the wall ; thinnest in the centre, where it is niost con- 
cave. A notable peculiarity in this part of the hoof, and 
one which distinguishes it from the wall, is its tendency to 
break off in flakes on the ground face when the fibers have 
attained a certain length ; tJie Avall, on the contrary, con- 
tinues to grow in length to an indefinite extent, and, unless 
kept within reasonable dimensions by continual wear or the 



-ft 



Fig. 5.— Plaxtar Surface op left Fore Hoof op a Five-year-old Horse that 
HAD NEVER BEEN SHOD— « «, glomes or lieels of the fros; I), median lacuna or 
"cleft" of the frog-; c c, branches of the frog-; f?d, heels, "angles of inflexion," 
or "buttresses" of the wall of the hoof; e e, lateral lacunre or spaces between 
the frog and bars; //, inflexions of the wall or "bars;" <;, bodj- of the frog; 
h, outside quarter of the hoof; i, inside quarter of the hoof; j, point of the 
frog-; Ic, sole; 1 1, commissure, "white line," or line of junction between sole 
and wall; m, oi, mammilla; o, toe. 

instruments of the farrier, would in time acquire an extraor- 
dinary distortion. The horn of the sole, for this reason, is 
less dense and resisting than that of the wall, and is designed 
more to support weight than to sustain wear. 

The "Horny Frog" is an exact reduplication of that with- 
in the hoof, described as the sensitive or fatty frog. It is 
triangular, or rather pyramidal in shape, and is situated at 
the back part of the hoof within the bars ; with its point or 
apex extending forward to the centre of the sole, and its 
base or thickest portion filling up the wide space left be- 
tween the inflexions of the wall. In the middle of the pos- 



HORSE-SHOEING. 135 

terior part is a cleft, which in the healthy state should not 
be deep, but rather shallow and sound on its surface. 

In structure, this hodj is also fibrous, the fibers passing 
in the same direction as those of the other portions of the 
hoof; but, instead of being quite rectilinear like them, they 
are wavy or flexuous in their course, and present some 
microscopical peculiarities which, though interesting to the 
compai'ative anatomist, n-aed not be alluded to here. The 
fibers are finer than those of the sole and wall, and are com- 
posed of cells arranged in the same manner as elsewhere in 
the hoof; they are formed by the villi which thickly stud 
the face of the membrane covering the sensitive frog. 

The substance of the horny frog is eminently elastic, and 
corresponds in the closest manner to the dense, elastic, epi- 
dermic pads on the soles of the feet of such animals as the 
camel, elephant, lion, bear, dog, cat, etc., and which are 
evidently designed for contact with the ground, the support 
and protection of the tendons that flex the foot, to facilitate 
the springy movements of these creatures, and for the pre 
vention of jar and injury to the limbs. 

In the horse's foot, the presence of this thick, compressi- 
ble, and supple mass of horn at the back of the hoof, its 
being in a healthy, unmutilated condition, and permitted to 
reach the ground while the animal is standing or moving, 
are absolutely essential to the well-being of that organ, more 
especially should speed, in addition to weight-carrying, be 
exacted. 

The frog, like the sole, exfoliates or becomes reduced in 
thickness at a certain stage of its growth; the flakes are 
more cohesive than those of the sole. 

It must be remarked, however, that this exfoliation of the 
sole and frog only takes place when the more recently-formed 
horn beneath has acquired sufficient hardness and density 



136 HORSE-SHOEING. 

to sustain contact witli the ground, and exposure to the 
effects of heat, dryness, and moisture. 

The '^Coronary Frog-Band," or " Periople" is a continua- 
tion of the more superficial layer of the skin around the 
coronet and heels, in the form of a thin, light-colored band 
that descends to a variable depth on the outer surface of the 
■wall, and at the back part of the hoof becomes consolidated 
with the frog, with which it is identical in structure and 
texture. It can be readily perceived in the hoof that has 
not been mutilated by the farrier's rasp, extending from the 
coronet, where the hair ceases, to some distance down the 
hoof ; it is thickest at the commencement of the wall, and 
gradually thins away into the finest imaginable film as it 
approaches the lower circumferance of this part. When wet 
it swells and softens, and on being dried shrinks, sometimes 
cracks in its moi"e dependent parts, or becomes scaly. 

The fibres composing it are very fine and wavy, as in the 
frog; they likewise spring from villi which project from the 
true skin immediately above the "coronary cushion." 

The use of this band would appear to be twofold : it con- 
nects the skin with the hoof, and thus makes the union of 
these two dissimilar textures more complete, its interme- 
diate degree of density and its great elasticity admirably 
fitting it for this ofiice; and it acts as a covering or protec- 
tion to the wall at its upper part, where this is only in pro- 
cess of formation, and has not sufiicient resistance to with- 
stand the effects of exposure to the weather. The great- 
est thickness and density of the band correspond to the 
portion of the wall in which the villi or vascular tufts are 
lodged, and here the horn is soft, delicate, and readily acted 
upon in an injurious manner by external influences. 

Thus far, then, we have rapidly glanced at the anatomy 
and uses of the various parts entering into the composition 
of the horse's hoof, and its horny box — the hoof. It may 



HORSE-SHOEING. 137 

\)e necessary, before we pass to the consideration of the 
latter, as a whole, to alhide to the structure and uses of that 
narrow strip of horn, whose presence every farrier or veter- 
inary surgeon is cognizant of, bxit whose character and 
functions liave been strangely left out of consideration by all 
anatomists hitherto. I refer to the "white line" or "zone," 
the slender intermediate band that runs around the margin 
of the sole, and connects that plate of horn so closely to the 
wall as to make their union particularly solid and complete. 
When preparing the border of the hoof for the reception of 
the shoe, this part is easily distinguished by its lighter color 
(in a dark hoof), and by its being softer and more elastic 
than either the sole or wall, between which it is situated. 
It would appear to be secreted by the villi which terminate 
the lower end of the vascular laminee, and the horny leaves 
of the wall are also received into its substance — a circum- 
stance that renders the junction of the two more thorough. 
I think there can be no doubt that the principal use of this 
elastic rim of horn, placed in such a situation, is to obviate 
the danger of fracture to which the inferior part of the hoof 
— particularly the sole — would be liable, if the junction 
between the hard and comparatively inelastic sole and wall 
was directly effected without the interposition of such a body. 

It may be noted, that it is through this soft border of 
horn that gravel and foreign matters usually find their way 
to the sensitive parts of the foot, and there excite such an 
amount of irritation as to lead to the formation of matter, 
and cause much pain and lameness— an accident which the 
older farriers termed " graveling." 

In viewing the horse's hoof as a whole, and in the inishod 
state, we find that it presents several salient characteristics, 
the consideration of which ought to dominate or serve as a 
guide in framing rules for the observance of farriers in the 



138 HORSE-SHOEING. 

practice of their art. The first of these is the direction in 
which the wall grows in a healthy condition. 

Viewed as it stands on a level surface, the hoof may be 
said to be somewhat conical in shape, its upper pai-t being 
a little less than its base ; and although, geometrically, its 
shape may be described as the frustum of a cone, the base 
and summit of which have been cut by two oblique planes — ■ 
the inferior converging abiaiptly behind toward the supe- 
rior — yet the circumference of the hoof does not offer that 
I'egularity which this description might imply ; on the con- 
trary, in a well-formed foot, we find that the outline of its 
inferior, or ground boixler, is notably more salient on the 
outer than the inner side, giving it that appearance which 
has been designated the " spread." 

A cone being intersected by two planes oblique to its axis, 
and not parallel to each other, gives a good idea, neverthe- 




FiG. 6. 

less, of the obliquity which forms so marked a feature in the 
hoof. The degree of obliquity of the front part, or toe, and 
of the tipper surface, vai-ies with the amount of growth ; but 
where this has been counterbalanced by a proper degree of 
wear, it will be remarked that this obliquity corresponds to 
the inclination of the pastern-bones immediately above the 
hoof, when the horse is standing. 

It will be obvious that this inclination also varies with 
the breeding of the animal and the conformation of the 
limbs, so that no definite degree can be assigned. But it 



KdTlSE-SHOEING. 139 

must be pointed out, that giving the angle of 45°, as is done 
in almost every treatise on shoeing and the anatomy of the 
foot, is a grave error. Looked at in profile, a hoof with this 
degree of obliquity would at once be pronounced a deform- 
ity — the slope is too great (Fig. 6); and if the farrier -were 
to attempt to bring every foot he shod to this standard, he 
would inflict serious injury, not only on the foot itself, but 
also on the back tendons and the joints of the limbs. Careful 
measurement will prove that the obliquity of the front of the 
hoof is rarely, if ever, in a well-shaped leg and foot, above 50", 
and that it is, in the gi'eat majority of cases, nearer 56°. 
The sides or "quarters " of the wall are less inclined, though 
the outer is generally more so than the inner ; while the 
heels are still more vertical, and the inner may even incline 
slightly inward. Viewed in profile, the posterior face of 
the hoof will be observed to have the same degree of slope 
as the front face. In height, the heels are usually a little 
more than one-half that of the toe ; both heels are equal in 
height. 

These features, as will be seen hereafter, are sufficiently 
important to be constantly remembered. The other charac- 
teristics are to be found on the lower or ground face of the 
hoof — the most important, so far as the farrier's art is con- 
cerned. 

In a natural condition, the whole, or nearly the whole, of 
this face, comes into contact with the ground, each part par^- 
ticipating more or less in sustaining the weight thrown upoiii 
the limb. On soft or uneven soil, the entire lower border 
of the wall — the sole, bars and frog — -are subjected to con- 
tact. Nature intended them to meet the ground, and there 
to sustain the animal's weight, as well as the force of its, 
impelling powers. But on hard or rocky land with a level 
surface, only the dense, tough crust and bars, the thick por- 
tion of the sole surrounded by them^ and the elastic, reten- 



140 HORSE-SHOEING. 

tive frog, meet the force of the weight and movement ; and, 
in both cases, not only with impunity, but with advantage 
to the interior of the foot, as well as the limb. The horn 
on this face is, as has been said, dense, tough and springy to 
a degree varying with the parts of which it is comi)03ed ; 
while its fibres are not only admirably disposed to support 
weight, secure a firm grasp of the ground, and aid the 
movements of the limbs, but are also an excellent medium 
for modifying concussion or jar to the sensitive and vascular 
structure in their vicinity. 

The whole circumference of the wall meets the ground, 
and from the disposition of its fibres, the arrangement of 
the cells which enter into their composition, and its rigidity, 
it is admirably fitted to resist wear and sustain pressui-e. It 
projects more or less beyond the level of the sole, and the 
space measured between the white zone within it and its 
outer surface gives its exact thickness. This is a fact not 
without interest to the farrier in the operation of attaching 
the shoe by nails, as these have to be driven only through 
this dense horn — -whicli in good hoofs cannot be said to 
much exceed half an inch in thickness — and in proportion 
to its thinness is the necessity for carefulness and address 
on his part, in order to guard against wounding or Ijruising 
the sensitive textures. 

The sole is more or less concave from its junction with 
the wall ; nevertheless, even on moderately firm ground, a 
portion of its circumference, which is genei-ally the thick- 
ness of the wall, takes a share in relieving the latter of 
pressure. This is also a fact to be borne in mind. In soft 
ground, the whole of its lower sui-face is made to aid in sus- 
taining the weight and prevent the foot sinking. But it 
must be noted that the i)ressure of the lower face of the 
pedal bone on the upper surface of the sole can never be 
very great, else the sensitive membrane between them would 



HORSE-SHOEING. 141 

be seriously injured. This injury is prevented by the coro- 
nary, and, to a lesser extent, by the plantar cushion, which 
largely retard the descent of the bone on the floor of the 
horny box. 

The frog, on both hard and soft ground, is an essential 
portion of the weight-bearing face. In the unshod, healthy 
foot it always projects beyond the level of the sole, and sel- 
dom below that of the wall at the heels; indeed, it is found, 
in the majority of hoofs, either on a level with the circum- 
ference of this part, or beyond it, so that its contact with 
the ground is assured. Hence its utility in obviating con- 
cussion,, supporting the tendons, and on slippery ground, in 
preventing falls. In pulling up a horse sharply in the gal- 
lop, or in descending a steep hill, the frog, together with the 
angular recess formed by the bar and wall at the heel of the 
hoof, are eminently serviceable in checking the tendency to 
slip ; the animal instinctively plants the posterior portions 
of the foot exclusively on the ground. 

Dark hoofs are generally the best ; they owe their color to 
the presence of minute particles of black pigment, which 
contains a notable proportion of iron, and are somewhat 
resisting and indestructible. 

A good hoof should have the wall unbroken, its outer 
face smooth and even ; the angle at the front not less than 
50° — the lower or ground face of the front hoof should be 
nearly circular in outline — ^the sole slightly concave at the 
circumference, deeper at the center ; the border of the wall 
ought to be thick at the toe, gTadually thinning towards the 
heels, bxxt at the inflexion or commencement of the bar a 
strong mass of horn should be found ; the bars should be 
free from fracture, and the frog moderately dcA-eloped, firm 
and solid. 

The hind foot should possess the same soundness of horn, 
thouffh it differs from the fore hoof in being more oval in out- 



142 HORSE-SHOEING. 

line from the toe to the lieels j the sole is also more concave, the 
frog smaller, and the heels not so high. The horn is usually 
less hard and resisting — a circumstance perhaps due to the 
hind feet being more frequently exposed to humidity in the 
stable than the fore ones. 

GROWTH OF THE HOOF. 

In any treatise on shoeing, the growth of the hoof cannot 
be left out of consideration, as on it the foot, in aii imshod 
condition, depends for an efficient protection, while without 
this process the farrier's art would quickly be of no avail. 

In its unarmed state, the hoof being exposed to continual 
wear on its lower surface, from contact with the ground on 
which the animal stands or moves, is iinceasinglj regener- 
ated by the living tissues within. We have already referred 
to the special appai-atus which is more immediately con- 
cerned in this work of regeneration, aiid pointed out that 
the wall with the laminpe on its inner face* is formed from 
the coronary cushion at the upper part of the foot ; the sole 
fi-om the living inembrane covering the lower face of the 
pedal Ijone ; and the frog from the plantar cushion. It has. 
been also mentioned that this dead horny envelope, instead 
of being merely in juxtaposition with this exquisitely sensi- 
tive secretory membrane, is everywhere penetrated to a 
certain depth on its inner face (with the exception of the 
portion of the wall covered with the horny leaves) by multi- 
tudes of minute processes named villi, which are not only 
coxwerned in the growth of the horn fibres, acting as moulds 
for them, and endowing the hoof with that degree of lightness, 
elasticity, and toughness, which are so necessary to its 



' It is generally stated that the horny leaves are formed by the sensitive ones, 
with which they are in sucU, close union. Tli^t this is an error, the niicroscoiie, 
jJiysiology, and pathological experience, abundantly testify. 



HORSE-SHOEING. 143 

efficiency, but also make this iiisensitive case a most useful 
organ of touch. 

The growth of the horn takes place by the deposition 
of new material from the secreting surface ; this deposition 
is effected at the commencement or root of the fibres ; where 
the horn is yet soft, and its incessant operation causes these 
fibres to be mechanically extended or i)ushed downward 
toward the ground in a mass. Once formed they are sub- 
mitted to no other change than that of l^ecoming denser, 
hai'der, less elastic, and drier, as they recede farther from 
the surface from which they originated. 

So regular is this growth generally in every part of the 
hoof that it would appear that the secreting membrane is 
endowed with an equal activity throughout. 

But, though this equality in the amount of liorn secreted 
over so wide a surface is an undoubtecf fact, yet it must not 
be forgotten that, under the influence of certain conditions, 
the growth or descent of the corneous material may be ef- 
fected in an irregular manner, either through a particular 
portion of the secretory apparatus assuming a more energetic 
activity or being hindered more or less in its function. 

For instance, the way in which the foot is planted on the 
ground has a most marked influence, not only on the amount 
of horn secreted, but also on that subjected to wear. 

When the superincumbent weight is equally distributed 
over the lower face of the hoof, the foot may be said to be 
properly placed as a basis of support to the limb ; but when, 
through mismanagement or defective form, this base is un- 
even—one side higher than the other, for example — the 
weight must fall on the lowest part to a greater degree than 
the highest ; tlius causing not only disturbance in tlie direc- 
tion of the limb and its movements, but considerably modi- 
fying the growth of the horn. This growth is diminished 
at the part subjected to most pressure — in all probability 



144 HORSE-SHOEING. 

from the smaller quantity of blood allowed to be circulated 
through the secretory surface ; while to the side which is 
subjected to the least compression the blood is abundantly 
supplied, and the fonnation of horn is consequently aug- 
mented. This is a fact of much importance and practical 
interest in farriery, as it demonstrates that any irregularity 
in the distribution of the weight of the body on the foot has 
a prejudicial effect on the secreting apparatus of the organ, 
and, as a result, on the form of the hoof. 

"When the. weight is evenly imposed on the foot, this ap- 
paratus, being uniformly compressed throughout its extent, 
receives everywhere an equal quantity of the horn-producing 
material. 

It is the same with the wear of* the hoof. A just dispo- 
sition of the weight is a necessary condition of the regularity 
of wear. While the animal is standing on unshod hoofs the 
wear of horn is slight ; it is in movement that it becomes 
increased, and this increase is generally in proportion to the 
speed, the weight carried, nature of the ground, and whether 
its surface be wet or diy. Each portion of the lower face 
of the hoof — wall, sole, bars and frog — should take its share 
of wear and strain ; but it will be readily understood that 
this cannot be properly effected if the weight is thrown more 
upon one side than the other. That part which receives the 
largest share will be subjected to the greatest amount of loss 
from wear, and this, with the diminished secretion of horn, 
will tend to distort foot and limb still moi-e. 

In a well-form-ed leg and foot the degrees of resistance of 
the different j:)arts of the hoof are so well apportioned to the 
amount of wear to be sustained, that all are equally reduced 
hf/ contact with the ground, and the whole is maintained in 
a perfect condition as regards growth and wear. 

The amount of growth, even in a well-proportioned foot, 
varies considerably in different animals, according to the 



HORSE-SHOEING. 145 

activity prevailing in, or the development of, the secreting 
apparatus ; and in this respect the operations of the farrier, 
as we will notice hereafter, are not without much influence. 

It may be laid down as a rule that the horn grows more 
rapidly in warm, dry climates than in cold, wet ones ; in 
healthy, energetic animals than in those which are soft and 
weakly ; during exercise than in repose ; in young than in 
old animals. Food, labor and shoeing also add their influ- 
ence ; while the seasons are to some extent concerned in the 
gro^vth and shape of the hoof. In winter it widens, becomes 
softer and grows but little ; in summer it is condensed, be- 
comes more I'igid, concave and resisting, is exposed to severer 
wear and grows more rapidly. This variation is a pi'ovision 
of nature to enable the hoof to adapt itself to the altered 
conditions it has to meet : hard horn to hard ground, soft 
horn to soft gi-ound. 

In this way we can account for the influence of locality 
upon the shape of the foot. On hard, dry ground, the hoof 
is dense, tenacious and small, with concave sole, and a little 
but firm frog ; in marshy regions, it is large and spreading, 
the horn soft and easily destroyed by wear, the sole thin 
and flat, and the frog an immense spongy mass, which is 
badly fitted to I'eceive pressure from slightly hardened soil. 
In a dry climate, we have an animal small, compact, wiry 
and vigorous, traveling on a surface which demands a tena- 
cious hoof, and not one adapted to px-event sinking ; in the 
marshy region we have a large, heavy, lymphatic creature, 
one of whose primary i-equirements is a foot designed to 
travel on a soft, yielding surface. Change the respective 
situations of these two horses, and Nature immediately be- 
gins to transform them and their feet. The light, excitable, 
vigorous horse, with its small vertical hoofs and concave 
soles, so admirably disposed to traverse rocky and slippery 
surfaces, is physically incompetent to exist on low-lying 



146 HORSE-SHOEING. 

swamps ; wliile the unwieldy animal, slow-paced and torpid, 
with a foot perfectly adapted to such a region — its ground 
face being so extensive and flat that it sinks but little, and 
the frog developed to such a degree as to resemble a plough- 
share in form, which gives it a grip of the soft, slippery 
ground— is but indifferently suited for traveling on a hard, 
rugged surface. In process of time, however, the small con- 
cave hoof expands and flattens, and the large flat one gradu- 
ally becomes concentrated, hardened and hollow, to suit the 
altered physical conditions in which they ax'e placed. 

The degree of health possessed by the horn-secreting ap- 
paratus at any time has also much to do with its activity in 
genei'ating new material. When its blood-vessels become 
congested or contracted from some cause or other, its func- 
tion is in a proportionate degree suspended, and the hoof 
grows in an irregular manner, and may be altered in thick- 
ness, texture and qriality. 

In the ordinary conditions of town work and stable man- 
agement, I have observed that the wall of a healthy foot — 
its chief portion, so far as farriery is concerned— grows 
down from the coronet at the rate of about one-quarter of 
an inch per month, and that the entire wall of a medium- 
sized hoof has been regenerated in from nine to twelve 
months. 

The process of growth can be greatly accelerated and ex- 
aggerated by irritating the surface which throws out the 
horn material. Thus a blister, hot iron, or any other irri- 
tant or stimulant applied to this part, will induce not only 
a more rapid formation, but one in which increased thick- 
ness is a ma,rked feature. 

SHOEING. 

In the foregoing pages we have considered the foot of the 
horse in a natural condition, as perfectly adapted for the 



HORSE-SHOEING. l47 

performance of most essential functions : as a basis of sup- 
port while the animal is standing, and, in addition, as a 
powerful propelling instrument during progression. 

We have also pointed out that the hoof Avhich envelops 
it, like a huge finger-nail, is admirably constructed and en- 
dowed as an aid and protection to this organ, its utility 
mainly depending on the texture and arrangement of the 
horny matter of which it is composed, and the peculiar dis- 
position of this in fibers of variable density, size, and elas- 
ticity. 

Bxit these cpialities of the hoof, it was again remarked, 
ai'e intimately dependent upon the maniier in which the 
horn-secreting surface performed its office ; as if this becomes 
diminished, Aveakened, or unable to supply sufficient materi- 
al to compensate for undue wear, the protecting case soon 
ceases to guard the living tissues within from injuiy. 

In a natural state, when the equilibriun^ l^etween growth 
and wear is destroyed, and the latter takes place in a rapid 
and unusual manner, tlie animal is compelled to rest until 
the worn hoof has recovered its proper thickness ; for acute 
pain results when the living parts are exposed, or when the 
wasted horn is insufficient to guard them against being 
bruised by the ground. 

In an artificial condition, Avhen the horse is employed 
on hard roads, broken ground, and in a humid climate, to 
carry and draw heavy loads at difterent degrees of velocity, 
and forced to stand on stony jmA-ements during resting 
hours, his hoofs are unable to meet the many seA'ere de- 
mands imposed upon them. 

The Avear more than counterbalances the groAvth ; and, 
therefore, it becomes an absolute necessity, if the animal is 
to be continuously and profitably utilized, that an artificial 
protection, sufficient to meet the exigencies of the case, be 
employed. 



148 HORSE-SHOEING. 

The lower border of tlie wall is, as we liave mentioned, 
tlie part most deeply concerned in resisting wear and strain 
in the nnsliod state, as on it the stress chiefly falls ; it is, 
consequently, the portion of the hoof that suffers most 
severely from undue wear, and that which alone requires 
protection. 

This fact must have heen brought prominently before 
the primitive shoers thousand of years ago, as the earliest 
specimens of shoes yet discovered are nari-ow, and in width 
clo not much exceed the thickness of the wall. To guaran- 
tee this from wear was to inci-ease the value of the horse a 
thousandfold, and the simply- wrought, narrow rim of iron, 
boldly and securely attached to the hoof by a few rudely- 
.shaped nails, Avas sufiicient for the purpose. 

But having fastened on this light metallic armature, and 
alloAved it to remain fixed to the hoof for a lengthened 
jjeriod, it would soon be discovered that the balance between 
growth and Avear Avas again disturbed, but this time in favor 
of growth ; for the Avail being removed from contact with 
the ground, and the rate of growth continuing as in the 
unshod state, the hoof, instead of becomingi diminished as 
before, now became abnormally overgrown and caused in- 
convenience. Then the shoe required to be taken off, and 
the superfluous growth either removed by instruments and 
the shoe replaced, or the animal made to travel without the 
iron defence until it Avas again needed when the hoof had 
become too much worn. 

Such was horse-shoeing, in all probability, in early times, 
and such it is at the present day where utility is not sacri- 
ficed to stupid theories or foolish practices. 

The evils attending the usual methods of shoeing are, as 
has been said, A^ery serious and glaring ; and the chief of 
these do not so much depend upon the faulty conformation 
of the shoe — though this is, in the majority of cases, not to 



HORSE-SHOEING. 149 

be exempted from blame — as upon the treatment the hoof 
receives before and after the application of that article. 

To illustrate these evils, and to show how unreasonable 
the modern art of farriery is, as well as how it should be 
practised, we will commence with the foot of the unshod 
colt, and, in the simplest words at our command, indicate 
the ordinary procedure in applying shoes to its hoofs for the 
first time, pointing out, at each step in the process, what is 
wrong and what is right, and giving reasons for the adop- 
tion of the principles which ought to guide the farrier in 
this most important operation. 

PREPARING THE HOOF. 

"We will premise that the young horse about to have its 
hoofs armed for the first time is tolerably docile, and that its 
tranquility is not likely to be severely disturbed by the 
strange manipulations to which its limbs are to be subjected. 
For many months previously its attendants have had this 
ordeal in view, and in handling it have not forgotten to 
manipulate its legs and feet quietly and gently in something 
the same fashion that the farrier is likely to do — even going 
so far in the lesson as to tap lightly on its uplifted hoof, as 
if nailing on the shoe. The young creature is intelligent 
enough to perceive that in this no harm or punishment is 
intended, and it soon becomes familiar with the practice. 

The farrier who shoes a young horse for the first or 
second time should be a patient, good-tempered man, and an 
adept in the management of horses and handling their limbs. 
If the operation is to be performed in a forge, there should 
be as little noise of hammers or glare of fires as possible — 
everything ought to be conducted quietly, steadily, and with 
kindness. Harsh treatment or unskilful handling should 
be severely reprehended, and all resti-aint or contention 



150 HOlaSE-SHOEING. 

ought to be dispensed with — at any rate until gentleness 
and patience have been diligently employed and have failed. 
If accustomed to companions, it should have one or two 
horses beside it in the forge. 

In describing the construction of the foot, we referred to 
the shape of a well-formed hoof. "We will presume the 
animal before its — like nearly every unshod horse — has 
hoofs of this description. 

The first step, usually, in the preparation of this part for 
the shoe, is to level • and shorten the lower margin of the 
wall, pare the sole and frog, and open up the heels. These 
details may not be carried out so fully in the first shoeing as 
subsequently, but we will note them as they are commonly 
2n'actised during the horse's lifetime. 

Leveling the Wall is an important operation, which but 
few artisans rightly understand or care to do properly. It 
has been stated that unequal pressure on one side of the foot 
— one side of the wall being lower than the other— is not 
only injurious to the whole limb by the nndue strain it im- 
2>oses on the joints and ligaments, but that it tends to deform 
the hoof and modify the growth of the horn. 

It is, therefore, most essential that both sides of the hoof 
be of equal depth, in addition to the whole lower margin of 
the wall being level ; and to make them so, the rasp should 
be ajiplied to this border in an oblique manner, across the 
en^ls of its fibres, to bring them to the same length. 

A good idea of the necessaiy reduction to be effected on 
either side will be derived fi'om an inspection of the limb 
from the knee or hock downward Avhen placed firmly and 
straight npon the ground. Any deviation of the hoof to the 
inside or outside — most frequently it is the formei- — can be 
readily detected by looking at the leg and hoof in front, 
1 The ground surface of the foot should be directly trans- 
verse to the dii'ection of the pastern, and it is in maintain- 



HORSE-SHOEING. 151 

ing or restoring this relation, tliat care and skill are re-, 
quired. If the pastern is perpendicular to the shank-bone, 
and the two sides of the lower margin of the foot are dii-ectly 
transverse to the line passing down from these, then the 
wall has only to be lowered equally on both sides, if it be 
too high. 

It must be remembered, in levelling both sides of the 
lower surface of the hoof, that the difference of a few frac- 
tions of an inch between them will cause considerable, and 
perhaps very hurtful, oscillations of the weight thrown on 
the limb. 

A properly-instructed farrier should be able, at a glance 
across the upturned foot, to discover whether it is tolerably 
level. In Fig. 7 I have shown what is meant by a properly- 



FiQ. 7. 

levelled hoof, the dotted line a a being dii-ectly transverse 
to the vertical line h, and the distance from a to c of one 
side being equal to that from a to c of the other. 

Shortening the Wall. — Reducing the wall to proper dimen- 
sions is another important matter in connection with the 
preparation of the foot for the shoe. We have seen that 
the natural and moderate wear of the unshod hoof is com- 
pensated for by the incessant downward growth of the horn, 
and that this process of wear and regeneration maintains the 
proper dimensions and just bearing of the foot. But on 
the application of the shoe a barrier is at once opposed to 
the wear, while the growth is not interfered with ; conse- 



152 HORSE-SHOEING. 

\ 

qxiently, the lioof continually increases in length and 
obliquity — a change which causes derangement in the dispo- 
sition of the weight on the lower part of the leg and foot, 
and other inconveniences. 

In speaking of the growth of the horn, it was remarked 
that in health this took place in a regular manner over the 
whole surface. It seems rather contradictory, therefore, to 
assert that the hoof increases in obliquity — appears to grow 
faster at the toe than the heels — when, if this statement 
was coiTect, their increase in length should be always the 
same. In the unshod hoof this lengthening of the toe is 






Fig. 8. 

not observed ; it only occurs in one that has been shod, and 
is to be accounted for by the fact that the shoe, not being 
nailed back so far as the heels, is, every time the foot falls 
on the ground, pressed against the horn at these parts, and 
so great is»this downward friction oi- pressure that, after a 
time, not only is the hoof considerably worn, but the face 
of the shoe is also deeply channelled at cori-esponding points. 
Owing to the shoe being firmly fixed around the toe, there 
is no play at this part, and hence the apparent inequality in 
growth between the front and back of the hoof — a circum- 
stance more observable in the fore than the hind foot, from 
the heels of the former being more under the centre of gi-av- 
ity, and so having a greater weight to sustain. 

The pastern and foot form part of a lever that extends 
from the fetlock to the ground and supports the weight of 
the body. The strain comes perpendicularly from the^shoul- 



HORSE-SHOKING. 15? 

dei'.to the fetlock (Fig. 8, a, c); but thence to the ground it 
passes along the pastern and foot (c, d) — the extremity of 
the lever — -and these are inclined more or less obliquely for- 
wai'd; hence the charge imposed on the limb has an incessant 
tendency to increase this obliquity Ijy bringing the fetlock 
nearer the ground (h). To resist this tendency, liowever, 
we have the two flexor tendons and the powerful suspensoiy 
ligament at the back of the limb, which support this joint 
and maintain its angle. 

But it will be readily understood that the longer and less 
upright this lever is, the greater is the strain and fatigue thrown 
u[)on the tendons and ligament. Though an oblique ])astern 
may look gracaful and make the horse's step more elastic 
and agreeable to the rider, yet, when the degree of obliquity 
exceeds that intended by nature, great risk is incun^ed of 
injury to the supporting apparatus. Hence the necessity 
for maintaining the hoof at its normal angle — -a aiecessity, 
however, which can never be met except at the moment 
when the animal is newly shod ; for no sooner is the equili- 
brium restore(I between the front and back of the hoof and 
the shoe fastened on than it begins to be disturbed again. 
This inconvenience is inevitable, from the veiy nature of the 
means we adojit to defend the foot from injury. 

On the other hand, the suspensory apparatus is less se- 
verely taxed, as the lever is short and vertical ; or, in other 
words, as the pastern and hoof are upright. But this, though 
relieving the tendons and ligament, throws the weight too 
directly on the bones ; consequently the jar to these and the 
whole limlj is great, and even dangerous, while the back 
parts of the foot are unduly strained to relieve them. 

It must be, then, very evident that leveling and bringing 
the ground-face of the hoof to the necessary length — ecjual 
on both sides from toe to heel, and justly i)roportioned in 
de'ith at toe and heel — is no trifling matter, as the soundness 



154 



HORSE-SHOEING. 



of tlie limb and ease in progression are concerned in the 
operation. Excessive length or obliquity of hoof str^ns 
back tendons and ligament ; a hoof long at the toe and low 
at the heels (Fig. 9, a, h) increases the obliquity; on the 
contrary, wlien the heels are high and the toe of the hoof 
too short (Fig. 9, c, d), the bones suffer and the whole limb 
experiences, moi'e or less, the effects of concussion. 




Fie. 9. 

In both cases progression is fatiguing, impei-fect and hurt- 
ful to an extent proportionate to the excess. 

Another disadvantage in shoeing, arising from the ten-' 
dency of the hoof to increase in length at the toe, and also 
from its form, is the change in the position of the shoe itself. 
The hoof being more or less conical in shape, with its base 
opposed to the ground, it follows that, as it increases in 
length, its lower circumference also widens in every direc- 
tion. The result is that the shoe, although at one time 
accurately fitting the hoof, gi"adually becomes too narrow ; 
at the same time, the increase in length at the toe carries 
the iron plate forwai^d, away from the heels. 

This is one more of the inevitable evils of shoeing, but 
which, nevertheless, the skillful workman may greatly pal- 
liate. 

The farrier equalizes both sides of the hoof by applying 
his rasp in a sloping direction to the ground border or end 
of t!io Wall ; he also brings it to its natui'al angle with the 



HORSE-SHOEING, 155 

same instrument, by removing the necessary amount of horn 
from the margin of the hoof at the toe or lieels ; by re- 
ducing the former without interfering with the lattei-, the 
obliquity of the foot is diminished (as in Figs. 9, c, d, 10, a); 
Avhile rasping down tlie lieels and leaving the toe untouched 
increases it (Fig. 9, a, h). 

IiT the great majority of cases, the heels, for the reason 
stated, require but little interference ; the excess of growth 
is neai-ly always at the toe, and thus no absolute rule can be 
laid down as to the angle to which the hoof should be 
brought. The practiced eye can discern at once whether the 
angle is in conformity with the natural bearing of the limb 




Fig. 10. 
and will have no difficulty in adjusting it, should it not be 
so, i)rovided there is sufficient horn to spare for this pur- 
2)osc. 

We have previously shown that the inclination of the 
front of the hoof varies from 50' to 60', and probably the 
mean between these two angles will be that usually observed. 
(Fig 9, g, e,/, is a hoof with about 52° of obliquity ; g, a, 
b, 45' ; g, c, d, more than 60^) 

On ordinary occasions, causing the horse to stand on a 
level floor, and viewing the hoof in profile a few paces off, 
is sufficient to inform one of the angle ; but to insure atten- 
tion to this matter and prevent mistakes, I have contrived 
;v httlc instrument for my farriers, which at once shows. 



156 



HORSE-SHOEING. 



them the degree of obliquity, and gives them an iiidication 
as to the amount of horn to be removed from the toe or 
heels. 

In the operation of levelling and shortening the hoof, is 
included the general reduction of the wall. 

Provided the hoof, before it comes into the hands of the 
farrier, has the proper inclination and is equal on both sides 
of its ground face, but is nevertheless overgrown, the arti- 
san has then only to remove the excess of growth without 
disturbing the relations between the several regions of the 
wall. Or should the hoof be overgrown, too oblique, too 
upright, or unequal at the sides, then in remedying the one 
defect he at the same time remedies all. The amount of 
horn to be removed from the margin of the hoof will de- 
pend upon circumstances. It may be laid down as a rule, 
however, that there being but little horn to remove at the 
lieels, these should only be rasped sufficiently to insure the 
removal of all loose material incapable of supporting the 




Fig. 11. 



shoe ; the quarters or sides of the hoof may require a freer 
application of the rasp, but as. the toe is reached, a larger 
quantity must be lernoved, as in Fig. 11, a, b. The limit to 
this removal at the front of the hoof must be when the wall 
is almost or quite reduced to a level with the strong ur- 
pared sole. It must ever be borne in mind that, if the wall 



HORSE-SHOEING. 157 

does not stand beyond the level of the sole, it does not 
require I'educing. 

When the circumference of the hoof has at length been 
brought to a condition fit to receive the shoe, the rasp must 
finish its task by i-emoving the sharp edge, and rounding it 
so as to leave a thick strong border not likely to chip. The 
unshod hoof nearly always exhibits this provision against 
fracture of the wall-fibres. 

Paring the Sole. — After the necessary diminution and 
correction of the obliquity of the hoof, and the preparation 
of the bed for the shoe, the farrier usually proceeds to pare 
the sole. Indeed, while the colt is still at large, and 
befoi'e the time has arrived when its hoofs are to be shod 
Avith iron, the workman is frequently called in to trim the 
hoofs, and paring the lower surface is part of the opera- 
ation. 

This procedure is as barbarous as it is unreasonable, 
especially when carried to the extent that has been advised 
in books on horseshoeing, viz., to pare the sole until it 
springs to the pressure of the thumb. In the great majority 
of forges this most pernicious practice is carried out, either 
l)ecause the owner of the horse thinks it necessary, the 
gi'oom or coachman that it makes the horse go better and 
the feet to look well, or the farrier that it is more work- 
manlike — though if he is pressed hard for any other reason 
he is unable to give one of a satisfactory character. 

Like so many pi'actices i-elatitxg to the management of the 
horse, this paring of the sole is absurd in the extreme, and 
h IS not the most trifiing recommendation to support it. 
Unfortunately for those who I'ecommend, and also those 
who practice it, its evil effects are not immediately ai)par- 
ent ; 'a horse with his soles denuded of theii* horn until the 
blood is oozing through them, may not at the moment man- 
ifest any great suffering, and may even go tolerably sound 



158 HORSE-SHOEING. 

on a level pavement, though, if he chanced to put his foot 
on uneven ground or a sharp stone, his agony may be so 
acute as to cause him to fall. 

The paring knife is skillfully used to remove all the sur- 
face horn down to that which has been most recently formed, 
or is in process of forming. So anxious is the groom or 
farrier that this, to them, most important operation should be 
caiTied out, that the soles are filled with cow dung, or some 
other filth, for some time ])reviously, in order that the horn 
may be softened and rendered more amenable to mutilation. 
Whan this "stopping" has not been done, and pai'ticularly 
in hot, dry weather, the sole is often so hard that it cannot 
be touched by the knife, in which case a red-hot iron is 
applied to the surface to soften the horn, or hot ashes are 
used. Tiien the bars and soles are sliced away until nothing 
is left but the thinnest pellicle of their natural protection, 
through which not unfrequently the blood may be oozing. 
This is nothing else than downright cruelty, and should meet 
with the punishment it so well deserves. 

To remove the excessive growth of the wall is an abso- 
lute necessity ; but to denude the sole of its horn is wanton 
injury to the foot and cruelty to the animal. This is easily 
accounted for. The sole only increases its substance to a 
certain thickness — never too much — and then the excess is 
thrown off" in flakes in a natural manner. In this way the 
sensitive parts are amnly protected ; the sole can sustain a 
share of the weight — especially around its margin in front, 
where it is strongest — and meet the gi-ound, however rough 
and stony this may be, with perfect impunity. This is its 
function. 

It has been mentioned that the horn is secreted from the 
living surface, and that myriads of beautiful vascular and 
sensitive tufts dependent from this surface, enter the horn- 
fibres to a certain depth, and play an important i)art in the 



. HORSE-SHOEING. 159 

formation of tlie sole. The newly-formed liorn is soft and 
spongy, and incapable of resisting exposure to the air, but 
as it is ])ushed further away from this surface by successive 
deposits of fresh material, it becomes old horn, loses its 
moisture, and in doing so acquires liardness and ligidity 
sufficient to withstand external influences ; then it is sub- 
jected to wear, and if this be insufficient to reduce it 
sufficiently, it falls ofl:' in scales. But the process of exfoli- 
ation is not a rapid one ; the flakes remain attached to 
the solid horn beneath, )nore or less firmly, until it in turn 
commences to loosen on the surface, and yield new flakes, 
when the old ones separate. This natural diminution in 
the excess of horn of the sole is a most beneficial process for 
• the hoof. Horn is a slow conductor of heat and cold, and 
when thick, retains moistui'e for a long pei'iod. These flakes, 
then, act as a natural "stopping" to the hoof, by accumu- 
lating and retaining moisture beneath, and this not only 
keeps the foot cool as it slowly evaporates, but ensures for 
the solid and growing horn its toughness, elasticity and 
proper development. In addition to this, every flake acts 
more or less as a spring in warding off" bruises or other inju- 
ries to the sole ; and thus the floor of the homy box is pi'o- 
tected from injury, externally and internally. 

What occurs when the farrier, following out the routine 
of his craft, or obeying the injunctions of those as ignorant 
as himself, or so prejudiced as not to be able to reason, pares 
the sole until it springs to the pressure of his thumb ? 
Why, the lower surface of the foot — that which is destined 
to come into contact with the ground, and to encounter its 
inequalities, and which more than any other i)art reipiires 
to be efficiently shielded — is at once ruthlessly denuded of 
its protection, and exposed to the most serious injury. Tlie 
immature horn, stripped of its outer covering, immediately 
begins to experience the evil efl'ects of external iiifluenccs ; 



160 HORSESHOEING. 

it loses its moisture, di-ies, liai'dens, and shrivels up ; it also 
occupies a smaller space, and in doing so, the sole becomes 
more concave, drawing after it the wall — t'or it must be 
remembered that the sole is a strong stay against contrac- 
tion of the lower margin of the hoof — and the consequence 
is, that the foot gradually decreases in size, and the quar- 
ters and heels narrow. The animal goes " tender," even 
on smooth ground ; but if he chance to put his mutilated 
sole on a stone, what pain must he experience ! This ten- 
derness on even ground or smoothly paved roads arises 
from the fact, that not only is the entire sensitive surface 
compressed, irritated, or inflamed by the hard, contracting 
envelope, and the unnatural exposure to sudden changes of 
heat and cold, but the little sensitive processes contained 
at the upper end of each of the horn-fibres are painfully 
crushed in their greatly diminished tubes, and instead of 
being organs of secretion and the most delicate touch, they 
are now scarcely more than instruments of torture to the 
unfoi'tunate animal. Not only is pain or uneasiness experi- 
enced during progression, but even in the stable the horse 
whose soles have been so barbarously treated, exhibits ten- 
derness in his feet by resting them, and if felt, a great 
increase of temperature will be perceived. 
I Owing to the secreting apparatus of the sole being 
deranged through this senseless paring, the formation of new 
horn takes place slowly, and it is not until a certain quan- 
tity has been provided to .compensate in some degree for 
that removed, that the horse begins to stand easier, a:».d 
travel better. Scarcely, however, has the restorative ])ro- 
cess advanced to this stage, than it is time for him to 
be reshod, when this part must again submit to be robbed 
of its horn. 

The sole having been pared too thin and concave leaves 
the circumference of the hoof standing much higher than if 



IIORSE-SHOEING. 161 

it had been left intact, and apparently too long ; so the wall 
must be still more reduced. This is done, and we now have 
the whole ground-face of the hoof so wasted and mutilated, 
that should the horse chance to lose a shoe soon after being 
shod, the impoverished foot cannot bear the rude contact of 
the ground for more than a few yards, and the poor crea- 
ture is laiue and useless. 

The tenderness and lameness arising from this maltreat- 
ment are usually ascribed to everything but the right cause, 
and the most popular is concussion. To avert this and pro- 
tect the defenceless sole, a most absurd shoe is required ; 
and, still more absurd, the natural covering is attempted to 
be replaced by a plate of leather, interposed between the 
groiind and the sole, and which is made to retain bundles of 
tow steeped in tar or some pernicious substance. It is 
scarcely necessary to say that this artificial covering is but 
a poor substitute for that which has been so foolishly, and 
with so much carefvil labor, cut away ; indeed, in several 
respects the leather sole, even when only placed between 
the wall and the shoe, and not over the entire surface, is 
very objectionable. 

Seeing, therefore, the natural provision existing in the 
sole of the hoof for its diminution in thickness, when neces- 
sary, and knowing that the intact sole is the best safeguard 
against injury and deterioration to this region, it must be 
laid down as a rule in farriery — and from which there must 
be no departure — that this part is not to be intei-fered with 
on any pretence, so long as the foot is in health ; not even 
the flakes are to be disturbed. 

By adhering to this rule, the horse can travel safely and 
with ease in all weathers and over any roads immediately 
after shoeing ; the foot is maintained in a healthy condition ; 
the sole can sustain its share of the weight, and thus relieve 
the wall of the hoof ; and should a shoe happen to be lost, 



162 HORSE-SHOEING. 

the animal can journey a long distance witli but little in- 
jury to the organ. 

Another of the many advantages derived from allowing 
the sole to remain in its natural condition, is that on a soft 
surface the hoof will not sink so deeply as one whose sole 
has been hollowed out by the farrier, neither is it so difficult 
to withdraw from the heavy soil'. 

Paring the Frog. — This part of the lioof is that which, in 
the opinion of the grooms and coachmen, most i-equii-es cut- 
ting, '•' to prevent its coming on the ground and laming the 
horse ;" and this reason, together with its softer texture, 
causes it to be made the sport of the farrier's relentless 
knife. It is artistically and thoronghl}^ trimmed, the fine 
elastic horn being sliced away, sometimes even to the quick, 
and in its sadly redviced form it undergoes the same changes 
as have been observed in the pared sole. No wonder, then, 
that it cannot l^ear touching the ground any more than the 
sole. Strip the skin off the sole of a man's foot and cause 
him to travel over stony or pebbly roads ! Would he walk 
comfortably and soundly % 

The artistically-shaped frog soon wastes, becomes diseased, 
and at length appears as a ragged, foul-smelling shred of 
hoi'n, almost imperceptible between the narrow, deformed, 
heels of the pared foot. 

The function of the frog in the animal economy is one of 
great moment, and has already l^een indicated. It is emi- 
nently adapted for contact with the ground, and in this re- 
sides its most important office. To i-emove it fi-om the 
ground and deprive it of its horn, is at once to destroy its 
utility and its structure, and withdraw from the foot one of 
its most essential com2)onents. The longer the frog is left 
untouched by the knife, and allowed to meet the ground, 
the more developed it becomes ; its horn grows so dense and 
resisting, yet without losing its special proi)erties, that it 



HORSE-SHOEIXG. 1G3 

braves the cruslnng of the i-ougliest i-oads Avithout sutiering 
in the slightest degree ; it ensures the hoof retaining its 
proper shape at the heels ; is a A'aluable supporter of the 
limb and foot while the animal is standing or moving ; and 
is an active agent, from its shape and texture, in preventing 
slipping ; its I'eduction and remoA^al from the ground, I am 
])erfectly convinced from long observation, have a tendency, 
directly or indirectly, to induce that most painful, frecpient, 
and incurable malady — navicular disease, as -well as other 
afl'ections of this organ. 

The farrier shoidd, thei-efore, leave the frog also mitouched, 
unless there Ije flakes which are useless — though this is ex- 
tremely rare ; then these ought to be cut off. So particular 
am I in this respect, however, and so well aware am I of 
the fondness of the workman to cut into this ]»art, that I 
never allow any frogs to be interfei-ed with unless 1 am 
])resent. If any gravel has lodgcid beneath the flakes, at 
the side, oi- in the cleft — ^v•luch is most unfrequent — this is 
removed by some blunt instrument. 

To show the vahie of contact with the ground : when a 
horse with a diseased frog is brought to me, 1 at once order 
the hoof to be so jjrej^ared or shod that tliis ])art will imme- 
diately receive direct pressiire — in a brief space the-disease 
disappears. Cases of what grooms call "thrush," of many 
years' dui-ation, and which had defied all Icinds of favorite 
dressings, have been cured, and the rotten, wasted frogs have 
become sound and w(!ll developed in a few months. 

Openlng-up the Heels. — Having done everything possible 
to ruin the sole and the frog, the farrier proceeds to com- 
plete his work b}' o[)ening-up the heels. This operation is 
([uite as injurious — if it is not more so — than mutilating 
the sole and frog ; it consists in making a deep cut into 
the angle of the wall at the heel, where it becomes bent in. 
ward to form the bar. In the unshod, natural state, or in 



164 HORSE-SHOEING. 

the unmutilatecl foot, this is a particularly strong portion, 
of the hoof, and serves a very useful purpose, its utility be- 
ing mainly owing to its strength. From its preventing con- 
traction of the heels, it has been named the arc houtant or 
" buttress " of the foot by the French hippotomists. 

When it is hacked away by the farrier's knife, the wall 
of the hoof is not only considerably weakened, but the hoof 
gradually contracts toward the heels. 

Horse dealers and grooms are the chief patrons of " well- 
opened " heels, as they give the foot a false appearance by 
making it look wider in this region. 

The fashion of paring the sole vmtil it yields to the pres- 
sure of the thumb has been perpetuated through the ignor- 
rance of those who have had the management of horses, or 
the traditions and routine of the artisans who liave more 
especially to attend to the requirements of the hoofs of these 
animals. But it must be observed that this paring, slicing 
away the frog and opening iip the heels has been lai-gely due, 
in later times, to the false notions ]n"opounded by some 
writers regarding the functions of the foot : such as tho 
descent of the sole, the inability of the frog to sustain con- 
tact with the ground, and the expansion of the back parts of 
the hoof every time the weight was imposed upon it. It is 
scarcely necessary here to say more than that these notions 
are at least extremely exaggerated, antl that the pi'actices 
which were maintained to facilitate these supposed functions 
have been productive of an immense amount of suffering and 
loss of animal life. 

It should be ever most strenuously insisted upon that the 
whole lower face of the hoof, except the border of the wall, 
must be left in a state of natui'e. The horn of the sole, frog 
and bai-s has an important diity to fulfill ; it is the natural 
protection to this part of the hoof, and no protection of iron, 
leather or other material is half so efficacious ; in addition, 



HORSESHOEING. 



165 



it is a capital agent in sustaining weight and in keeping the 
whole foot healthy and perfect in form. 

THE SHOE. 

The Ordinary Shoe. — The hoof having been prepared by 
the farrier, according to his fancy, for the reception of the 
metal i)late which is to garnish it, here again we find that 
ignorance prevails and is productive of inconvenience and 
injury. " Improved principles " demand that a particular- 
shaped shoe be ajiplie 1 ; no matter whether the animal be 
for saddle, harness or draught purposes, it must have a shoe 




Fig. 12. 

that rests only on the margin of the hoof— on the wall. 
Therefore, except a narrow border to correspond with this 
margin, the upper or foot-face of the shoe is beveled away, 
so as to leave a wide spnce between it and the sole, and 
throw all the weight and strain on the outer parts of the 
foot (Fig. 11); in addition to which disadvantage, this space 
is admirably contrived to lodge stones, graA'el, hardened 
mud or snow, and in heavy ground it increases the suction 
immensely. But, as will be easily understood from the 
manner in Avhich the under-surface of the foot has been 
treated, this beveling is rendered an absolute necessity if 
the horse is to be preserved from immediate lameness. The 
sole has been pared so thin that, so far from its being altlc 



166 HORSE-SHOEING. 

to withstand a tolerably large amount of pressui'e around its 
margin— particularly toward the toe — -it must be most care- 
fully preserved, not only from contact with the shoe, but 
also with the ground. This necessitates a wide surface of 
metal, which increases the Aveight of the shoe, making it 
clumsier to wear, and affords a large under or ground surface 
for sli))ping. And even with a shoe of such dimensions the 
creature cannot travel at ease on stony roads, as the least 
])ressure of a stone on the tender sole causes him to limp ; 
and if the stone lodges in the space between shoe and sole, 
serious injury is likely to be done. 

Weujht.^-In addition to the Ijeveling and the width, the 
shoe in ordinary iise has several other glaring defects. One 
of these is generally its excessive weight ; it contains an 
amount of iron far greater than is necessary to protect the 
hoof from the eff"ects of wear. One i-eason alleged for the 
employment of these cumbi'ous masses of iron attached to 
the ends of a horse's limbs is that they prevent concussion 
to the foot. This any reasonable person will at once })er- 
ceive is a manifest absurdity. The hoof, by its lightness, its 
texture, and the wonderful arrangement of its com])onent 
parts, is well adapted to avert concussion. An inelastic, 
lieaA-y lump of iron firmly attached to it, and coming into 
forcible collision with the ground at every step, must surely 
be more likely to increase this concussion than diminish it. 

There can be no difficulty, I imagine, in estimating the 
injury inflicted by unnecessarily heavy shoes. Nature 
fornied the lower extremity of the limb with a view to light- 
ness, no less than to other important ends. The hoof-bone 
is quite porous and open in texture, to diminish its ponder- 
osity without detracting from its size or stability ; while the 
hoof itself is, as we have just noticed, remarkable for the 
manner in which its material is arranged with a special in- 
tention to confer light-footedness upon the animal. The rea- 



HOKSE-SHOEING. 167 

son for this diminution in weight, while it is coincident with 
increase in bulk, is to be found in the fact that the muscles 
principally concei^ned in moving the limb — swinging, 
straightening, and bending it backward and forward — -are 
all situated above the knee or hock. The moving power is 
at one end of a comparatively long lever with two arms, 
while the weight to be moved is at the other extremity. 
The arm of the lever to which the power is applied is very 
short, so that though rapidity is gained, more power is lost, 
and it is palpable that every additional ounce added to the 
foot must be nearly, if not more than equal to a pound at 
the shoulder. 

In shoeing, this important consideration has been strangely 
overlooked ; and yet we cannot forget that it has a great in- 
fluence on the wear of, not only the shoe, but also the mus- 
cles, tendons, ligaments and joints, and even, indirectly, of 
the entire animal. " If, at the termination of a day's work," 
says an eminent French veterinary professor, "we calculate the 
weight i-epresented by the mass of iron in the heavy shoes 
a horse is condemned to carry at each step, we shall arrive 
at a formidable array of figures, and in this way be able to 
estimate the amount of force uselessly expended by the ani- 
mal in raising the shoes that overload his feet. Tlie calcu- 
lation I have made possesses an eloquence that dispenses 
with very long commentaries. Suppose that the weight of 
a shoe is two pounds, it is not excessive to admit that a 
horse trots at the rate of one step every second, or sixty 
steps a minute. In a minute, then, the limb of a hoi^se 
whose foot carries two poimds makes efforts sufficient to 
raise a weight of one hundred and twenty pounds. For the 
four limbs, this weight in a minute is represented by 
12;) X 4=480 pounds ; for the four feet during an hour, the 
weight is 28,800 pounds ; and for four hours, the mean du- 
ration of a dav's work iu the French oiuuil)Uscs, the total 



168 HORSE-SHOEING. 

amount of weiglit raised lias reached the enormous figure of 
115,200 pounds. But the movement communicated to 
these 115,200 pounds re})re3ents an expenditure of the 
l)0\ver emj)loyed by the motor without any useful resiilt ; 
and as the motor is a living one, this expenditure of strength 
represents an exhaustion, or, if you like it better, a degree 
of fatigue pro})ortioned to the effort necessary for its mani- 
festation." 

This question of weight is one of no small moment to 
the well-being and utility of the horse, and therefore de- 
mands particular attention. Nature, in constructing the 
animal machine, and enduing it with adequate power to sus- 
tain the ordinary requirements of organization, and even to 
meet certain extraordinary demands, could scarcely have 
been expected to provide the large additional amount of en- 
orgy necessary to swing several ounces, or even pounds, at- 
tached to the lower extremity of the limb. A horse shod 
with a two-pound shoe to each foot, ti'aveling at the rate of 
sixty steps in a minute for a period of four hours, as has 
been stated above, carries nearly fifty-two tons. This 
weight, too, as has been stated, is most disadvantageously 
placed at the end of the long ai-m of the lever. It must be 
remembered, also, that a two-pound shoe is a very moder- 
ate affair when compared with many that are worn every 
day in town and country, even by horses employed in fast 
work. 

Not only does an unnecessarily heavy shoe fatigue and 
wear out the limbs sooner than a light one, but the fatigue 
it induces causes it to be less durable, in proportion to the 
quantity of iron. This is accounted for by the manner in 
which the fatigued limbs drag their heavy load along the 
surface of the ground. Heavy shoes also require more and 
larger nails to attach them securely to the hoof, and this in 



HORSE-SHOEING. 169 

itself is an evil of no trifling magnitude, as we shall see 
presently. 

The shoe, besides being heavy, may offer other serious 
defects. It may be very uneven on its upper bearing sur- 
face — that on which the hoof rests ; it may liave too many 
clips, and these not well formed or situated ; its ground 
sixrface may be unequal ; or the holes for the nails may be 
badly placed, and improperly stamped. 

An uneven upper surface is apt to jn^oduce lameness, 
from the undue pressure it occasions on limited parts of the 
hoof, and through these to the corresponding living textures; 
or it may cause the wall of the hoof to split, etc. 

Nails badly placed and improperly stamped are a prolific 
source of injury to the foot, and the same may be said of 
mal-formed or wrongly-situated clips ; and much evil results 
from the groiind-face of the shoe Ijeing higher at one part 
than another. This inequality is in nearly every case due 
to the presence of what are termed "calkins" at the extrem- 
ities of the branches of the shoe ; or to one side of the plate 
being thicker than the other. 

Calkins. — -Calkins are injurious to the limb in proportion 
to their height. When smallest they are an evil, as they 
have a tendency, in raising the back part of the foot higher 
than the front, to alter the natural direction of the limb, 
and throw undue strain on the fore part. Intended to pre- 
ver.t slipping, their use in this respect is but temporary,, 
unless they ax-e made high and thick ; when* their- unfavor- 
able influence on the limb and foot is increased. Added to 
this, from their throwing so much of the weight and str-ain 
on the front of the foot, the shoe is more rapidly worn away 
at the toe ; so its thickness there must be greater, arrd the^ 
shoe in consequence heavier, or the animal will have to be 
more frequently shod. From their only lasting for a limited 
^jeriod, the horse, at first inclined to rely on, them to pre-. 



170 HORSE-SHOEING. 

serve his footing on slippeiy roads, becomes timid and 
unsafe when they are worn down to the surface of the shoe. 
By their form, and their projecting so much beyond the 
level of the plate, they jar the limb ; expose it to twists and 
treads sometimes of a grave character ; induce shortening of 
the flexor tendons ; and until they have been considei-ably 
reduced, intei-fere with the animal's action. They are also 
liable to cause the shoe to be torn off, by getting caught 
between paving-stones ; wliile they produce severe lacera- 
tions, should the horse wearing them happen to kick an- 
other animal. This is more particularly observed among 
army horses which have calkins on their hind shoes — and 
especially when in camp or picketed. They also thi-ow 
more strain upon the nails and the hoof itself. Neither 
mu.st it be forgotten that they remove the frog from contact 
with the ground. 

One side of the shoe being higher than the other produces 
the same results as follow when the hoof is unequal in this 
respect. The hind limb is moi-e exposed to this evil than 
the fore one, from calkins being most frequently added to 
the hind shoes, and from the fashion of having the inner 
branch thickened, but not sufficient to compensate for the 
lieight of the calkin on the outer heel. This inequality is 
prodiictive of injury to the fetlock and hock joints, and is 
doubtless not unfrequently the cause of that foi-midable 
disease of the latter — spavin. 

But even if the farrier has reason to apply shoes whose 
ground- surface is not studded with calkins or any other 
kind of " catch," he, in nearly every case of ordinary wear, 
piits on one which has the whole of this surface perfectly 
plane, and not relieved throughout its length or width by 
any thing, except perhaps the groove around its outer 
circumference, in which the nail-holes are placed. This 
wide, smooth surface is evidently adapte d to facilitate slip- 



HORSE-SHOEING. 171 

ping on smooth pavements, or even on grass or clay land. 

Size. — Besides constructing the shoe of a faulty shape, a 
very common practice is to apply one smaller than the actual 
contour of the ground-surface of the hoof. This is a grave 
error, and in all probability arises from the desire to make 
the horse's foot look neat, and to produce fine work; just as 
the maker of shoes for the human foot thinks it the perfec- 
tion of workmanship to squeeze it into the smallest possible 
space. In the horse, however, small shoes are more fruitful 
of lameness and chronic deformity than even the worst- 
shaped cramped coverings can be for the human organ, as 
the horse is compelled to wear his tight plates day and night, 
and must accomplish all kinds of severe labor in them; 
while man can relieve himself of his torturing, uncomforta- 
ble boots for at least some hours out of the twenty-four. 

We shall allude to the evils of this stupid practice here- 
after; in the meantime it may be sufficient to point out, that 
in selecting and applying a shoe srialler than the circumfer- 
ence of the hoof, we are depriving the foot and limb of a 
portion of their stability and weight-bearing surface. The 
limb is, in reality, a column of support for the body, and the 
hoof is the base of this column. This base is very much 
wider than any other portion, and only commences at the 
foot, which gradually widens toward the groxmd, so as to 
make it still more expanded and efiicient. To diminish this 
is to frustrate Nature's mode of aff'ording security and ease 
to the limb, and consequently to do it harm. 

The above are only some of the more prominent evils 
attendant on the pi-esent method of constructing and shap- 
ing the horse's shoe ; others, such as making it of bad 
material, altogether unlike the outline of the hoof, etc., 
we will glance at presently. We have only now to consider 
what has been for very many yeai'S the aim of those who, 
ovei'looking the real injury done to the foot by the barljar- 



172 HORSE-SHOEING. 

ous fashion of paring and rasping, imagined the qhief, if not 
the sole, cause of lameness and inefficiency arose from the 
faulty character of the protection applied to it, and have 
sought to avert these by devising various kinds of shoes, or 
other methods of arming the hoof. 

It is scarcely necessary to say, that from their neglecting, 
or being unconscious of the harm that resulted from the 
malpractices already indicated, their so-called improvements 
have been impotent for good, and have soon been consigned 
to forgetfulness. 

Objects to he Attained. — We have stated what were the 
objects to be attained when shoeing was first introduced. 
To prevent undue wear of the horn, and at the same time to 
secure a good foothold for the horse, appear to have been all 
that was considered essential in the infancy of the art of 
farriery. And it must be conceded that, even now, these 
are the primary advantages to be achieved in constructing a 
horse-shoe, no matter what kind of task the horse that wears 
it may he required to accomplish. 

There can scarcely be a doubt that any thing more simple 
and efficient, and at the same time less expensive, than a 
well-devised iron shoe, cannot at present be produced; nor 
can the comparatively safe and ready method of attaching it 
by nails be superseded by any other means that we are ac- 
quainted with. All tentatives in this direction have failed, 
either because of their inefficiency or greater expense. 

Simplicity, cheapness, durability, and perfect adaptability 
to various requirements, are the essentials to be obtained in 
horse-shoes; and if one or more of these is absent in any 
particular pattern, it can never be generally adopted, and is 
certain to have but brief success. 

The effects of applying an iron defence to the hoi'se's foot, 
and securing it to the hoof by means of nails, are no doubt 
a source of injury to that organ; and even with every care 



HORSE-SHOEING. 173 

a few of them are unavoidable; but they are increased in 
number and heightened in intensity when the shoe is badly 
constructed and attached; whereas, by the exercise of a little 
common-sense and oljservation, those which are not to be 
avoided may be mitigated. 

The foot, as has Ijeen observed, is a perfect organ, formed 
in harmony with the other parts of the limbs to meet every 
I'equirement in bearing weight and aiding movement. 

The hoof, as an integral portion of the foot, possesses 
these qualities to a high degree, and, but for its inability to 
withstand incessant wear, would need no assistance from 
man, except perhaps a little trimming when it became over- 
grown or irregiilai'. Its lower margin — hard, narrow, and 
projecting slightly beyond the sole — is well adapted to suj>- 
port weight, Avithstand Avear, and retain a hold of the ground; 
the concave sole, in addition to its assisting the margin to 
support weight and wear, also lends its aid in securing a 
foothold by its hollow surface; while the angle of the wall 
at each heel — the " buttress " — would appear to be specially 
designed to afford a most effective check to the sliding for- 
ward of the foot as the animal suddenly pulls vip when 
moving at a fast pace on level ground, or attempts to stop or 
diminish his descent on a slippery declivity. 

Those who study the functions of the animal body, and 
who have to restore these when deranged, well know that 
in their attempts to keep them in a normal condition or to 
bring them back to a healthy state, they must attend to the 
laws which govei'n these functions, and follow the indica- 
tions of nature. Therefore I have asked myself if it is jiossi- 
ble to construct a shoe which, while cheaply and easily manu- 
factured by any ordinary farrier, will answer the same ends 
as the lower surface of the foot does in a natural state, at 
the same time protecting and supporting it, without inter- 
fering to any ajDpreciable extent with the healthy functions 



174 HORSE-SHOEING. 

of the organ. We have seen that the ordinary shoe is ex-, 
ti^emely imperfect, if it is not diametrically opposite to what 
we should consider as calculated to protect the foot, secure 
a good foothold, and interfere but little with its functions. 
Instead of supporting the sole at its sti-ongest part, and thus 
relieving the wall from much of the strain, it rests on the 
wall alone; this is contrary to natural indications. The 
wide space between sole and shoe affords lodgment to foreign 
bodies which, when the sole is ai-tistically mutilated, may 
do grievous harm, and it also increases suction in soft 
ground; the hoof shows nothing of this kind. Then, again: 
the ground-face of the shoe is a wide and smooth plane 
v/hich, instead of preventing slipping, conduces to it; or 
thickened portions project above this face, which disturb 
the balance and inj ure the limb, while they are only of very 
temporary and questionable service in insuring a firm foot- 
ing. 

In the unshod hoof we see nothing of this, and we are 
brought to the conclusion, which daily experience amply 
confirms, that in addition to the ordinary management of 
the hoof being utterly erroneous, the shoe usually applied 
to it is very far from what it ought to be. 

Pattern of Shoe Recommended. — If the sole of the hoof 
has not been mutilated by the knife, it does not require to 
be covered by the shoe, as Nature has furnished an infi- 
nitely better protection. Wide-surface shoes can therefoi'e 
be at once dispensed with, and a narrow shoe, made of the 
very best and toughest iron, adapted for traveling on slip- 
pery roads, and for aiding foot and liml>, and sufficient to 
withstand wear for four or five weeks, is all that is required. 
We will therefore conclude that the vipper or foot surface 
should be the whole width of the shoe, and plane — not bev- 
elled — for we have seen that the sole was destined, particu- 
larly at this junction with the wall in front, to sustain 



HORSE-SHOEING. 175 

weight. We also know that it is advantageous to the whole 
foot and limb to allow the sole as wide and general a bear- 
ing as possible ; so that one part may relieve the other — 
the sole coming to the aid of the wall, and the frog inter- 
]>osing to share the fatigne imposed upon both, as well as to 
I'elieve the strain on the hinder parts of the foot, flexor 
tendons and limb, and keep a firm grasp of the ground by 
its elastic and adhesive properties. 

The shoe applied to the foot, then, should have its hoof 
surface flat, in order that it may sustain the wall and as 
much of this strong portion of the sole as its width permits. 
This is contrary to the visual practice, which only allows 
the wall to rest on a narrow surface, and bevels off the i-e- 
mainder of the shoe to prevent contact with the sole. Many 
years' experience of this plane foot-surfaced shoe in various 
regions of the globe, and on feet of every kind and quality, 
have proved the soundness of this view. The foot is brought 
as near to a state of nature when the greater part of its 
plantar surface supports the weight of the body, as man 
can hope to achieve while submitting the horse to an arti- 
ficial existence. 

A light thin shoe is always preferable to a heavy thick 
one ; as the narrowness of the metal insures a good foot- 
hold — in this respect imitating the wall — while its thinness 
brings the sole, frog and bars in closer approximation to 
the ground. 

It is impossible to devise a shoe that will successfully 
meet every requirement. The heavy draught-horse, doomed 
to bring into play every muscle in endeavoring to move 
and drag along an enormous load, must have his feet diffei'- 
ently amied to the hunter or race-horse, with which speed 
is the chief requisite. Taking into account the diffei'ent 
character of the horny textures, it is none the less true, 
however, that the same rule holds good in all with regard 



176 HORSE-SHOEING. 

to the sole and frog-sustaining weight, though in the slow- 
moving animal it is of less importance, perhaps, than in the 
lighter and more fleet one. The massive draught-horse 
requires toe and heel projections or "catches" on the ground- 
surface of the shoes, to economize his locomotive powers and 
to aid his powerful eflbrts ; though his hoofs none the less 
require the observance of those conservative jirinciples 
which have been so strongly insisted iq)on, l>ut Avhich arc 
so veiy seldom applied. 

To give the g-reatest amount of strength and foothold to 
the shoes of the heavy draught-horse, with the least amount 
of weight, should be an oljject always kept in view in mak- 
ing them. But, with this aniinal, the principal object is 
the preservation of the wall of the hoof in order that it may- 
remain sound and strong for the retention of the nails ; to 
assist in effecting this, tlie sole and frog must be i)reservcd 
intact. 

The form of the shoe in all cases should in outline re- 
seml)le the shape of the gi'ound-surface of the hoof It has 
l^een decided that its upper surface must be flat from the 
outer to the inner margin. For horses other than those of 
heavy draught, its width will of course vary; but it is an 
advantage to have it as naiTow as is compatible, in relation 
to its thickness, with the amount of wear required from it. 

The ground-face of the shoe is the next point for consid- 
eration. This should always be, if ])ossible, parallel with 
its iipper face ; that is, the shoe ouglit to be plane on both 
surfaces, and of the same thickness on both sides, not only 
in the fore but also the hind shoes. This guarantees the 
foot and limb being kept in a natural position. What are 
termed " calkins " on one or both heels are very objection- 
able, for the simple reason that, as has been stated, they 
raise the back pai-t of the foot higher than the front, and 
throw the limb forward ; unless the hoof meets the ground 



HORSE-SHOEING. 177 

in its natui'al direction, some poi-tion of the leg or foot will 
be certain to suflfei". Therefore, whatever device may be 
employed to prevent slipping and secure a hold on the ground 
should not interfere with the natural direction of the limb 
or foot. If calkins are deemed necessary, then the front 
})ai't of the shoe ought to be raised to a cori-esponding height 
either by thickening its substance or adding a toe-pieee. In 
the majority of cases, however, the use of these ])rojections 
is problematical, and it is certain that hundi'eds of horees 
travel as safely without them as with them. In many of 
our lai-ge towns and cities they are but little employed, and 
with advantage to the legs and feet. For many years I 
have not allowed a calkin to be worn on the shoes of any 
of the horses in my chai-ge, and no comi)laints of slipping 
or insecure footing have ever been made, nor have any re- 
ports of horses falling down either on slippery tuif or the 
smooth surface of paved streets, from the absence of calkins, 
ever reached me. Having studied the subject of farriery 
practically for several years, in the lai-ge cities of Glasgow 
and Manchester before enteiing the army, and having dur- 
ing fifteen years' service been attached to those branches in 
Avhich light or riding-horses and heavy or draught-horses are 
employed, my opportunities for observation have Ijeen ex- 
tensive. These opportunities have led me to form the 
opinion just given as to the value of calkins. Wiiile sta- 
tioned with my regiment in Edinburgh in 1 864-6.3, I ob- 
tained permission to dispense with calkins on the hind- 
shoes (they are not worn on the fore-shoes of cavalry-horses), 
and though the orderly and other duties were somewhat 
heavy on the streets of that city — which are perhaps the 
most slippery in Britain — no accident occurred. 

For more than three years I have been stationed in a 
large garrison town in the south of England with nearly 
three hundred horses — most of which are draught — in my 



1 78 HORSE-SHOEING. 

charge. The greater portion of these animals are employed 
several hours every day conveying heavy loads up and down 
very badly-made and excessively-steep roads ; no calkins or 
toe-pieces are worn, no slipping is ever observed, while the 
sprains and injuries arising from the use of calkins ai-e un- 
known. 

This immunity I attribute not alone to the absence of 
these projections, but to the care always taken to keep the 
hoofs healthy, properly adjusted, and strong, with the frogs 
resting as much as possible on the ground. 

In attempting to prevent slipping, and to aflbrd a firm 
hold of the ground, without liaving recourse to calkins, a 
great object is to diminish the wide sitrface of metal of the 
shoe, without interfering, as little as possible, with its re- 
sistance to wear. The simplest method of doing this is 
to merely change the bevel on the foot-surface of the ordi- 
nary shoe to its ground-surface — making what is now con- 
cave, flat, and what is now the flat, sli])pery ground-surface, 
concave. The effect is almost magical in the security it 
gives the animal during progression, and is best exemplified 
in the case of the hunter, which is usually shod with shoes 
of this description. Here, again, we are only imitating 
Nature by copying the concavity of the sole. There can be 
no doubt whatever as to the advantages to be gained by 
using such shoes. The sole is pretty well supported as well 
as the wdiole of the wall, by the wider surface of the 
metal above, while the narrow surface toward the ground 
affords security of tread. 

For general purposes this is an excellent form of shoe, but 
to make it still more efficient I devised a modification of it 
some years ago, which is an exact i-eproduction in iron of the 
ground-surface of this part of the hoof; it has been em- 
ployed on the road and in the field with most satisfactory 
resvdts both on the fore and hind feet. 



HORSE-SHOEING. 179 

In this shoe (Fig. 13), instead of the bevel on the ground- 
surface gradually becomes shallower as it approaches the 
heels, as in the ordinary hunting shoe, it becomes deeper, 
until, within an inch or two of the extremity of the branch, 
it has cut down through the thickness of the inner border ; it 
then abruptly ceases, leaving a sharp catch on each side, that, 
like the inflexion of the wall at this part (Fig. 5, d d), afibrds 




Fig. 13. 

an excellent grip, which moreover lasts until the shoe is quite 
worn out. With a modification of this kind, three import- 
ant objects ai"e secured : 1, The plane upper surface, rest- 
ing flat and solidly on the crust and unpared sole, leaves no 
space in which foreign bodies — as clay, stones, or gravel — 
may lodge, and in heavy ground suction is lessened. 2. The 
metal is only i-emoved from the parts where it can be best 
spared, and where there is least wear ; consequently the shoe 
is lightened without being weakened. 3. The level border 
and extremities of the branches afford an equal bearing for 
the foot, while the gradually deepening bevel, with its sud- 
den check, secures a permanent and powerful catching point 
like that at the angle of the wall. 

The shoe is easily made by any fixrrier, differing, as it 
does, so little from the ordinary hunting-shoe, and the 
shape is the same for the fore as the hind shoe, except that 



180 



HOaSE-SHOEING. 



the former is, of course, more circular than the latter, to 
correspond with the shape of the hoof. 

To make its fabrication as simple, speedy, and easy as the 
ordinary shoe, I have made it in two moulds or ''cresses,'' 
"which fit into the anvil. These moulds are of iron faced 
with steel; one (Fig. 14) has two wide, slightly curved 
transverse grooves cut on its surface, the one side of each being 
shallower than the other ; in these each branch of the shoe 
is moulded. The other cress (Fig. 15) has also two indent- 
ations so formed as to cut the check or "sunk calkin." With 
these moiilds, the shoe is as easily and quickly made as the 
common one, and requires but little finishing. The moulds 
may be of three sizes, to suit different-sized feet and diff'er- 
ent kinds of work, and can be forged by any ordinary black- 
smith or farrier. 





Fie. 14. 



Flu. 15. 



This shoe has been somewhat extensively tried by car- 
riage and saddle horses, and with the very best results. 
For hunting or cavalry purposes it is excellent, particu- 
larly on slij^pery grass-land, the sharp point of the catch 
biting the surface of the ground most effectively. 

Clips. — For carriage and saddle-horses and hunters, each 
fore and hind shoe should have a clip drawn up at the mid- 
dle of the toe, except in special cases, as when the horse 
overreaches, or, from being required to jumj), or any other 
cause, is likely to strike any part of the back of the fore- 



HORSE-SHOEING. 181 

legs ; in wliicli case, the liind-slioes reqiiire to liave a clip at 
each side of the toe — none in the middle — the lioof in front 
being allowed to project beyond the shoe. The latter should 
have all sharp edges carefully removed at this part, })articu- 
lai'ly in the case of hunters. 

Clips, when judiciously placed, are of service in retain- 
ing tlie shoe, and so permitting the number of nails to be 
diminished ; l>ut, as a rule, they should he as few as possi- 
ble, as they are sometimes a source of injury to the lioof, 
particularly if they are situated in too close proximity to 
the nails. 

Vmneties of Shoes. — Various forms of shoes have been 
from time to time proposed with a view to prevent slipping, 
biit only those which have had their ground-surface grooved, 
beveled, or " toothed," have met with any success. In re- 
cent times, an American shoe — the " Goodenough " — has 
had wonderful qualities claimed for it in this resi)ect. It 
differs but little from the common hunting shoe. It lias 
several trivial projections cut on the outer margin of its 
lower surface, which may prevent slipping so long as they 
last ; but in a very short time they are worn away, and then 
it has nothing to recommend it beyond the ordinary hunt- 
ing shoe. The shoe is made by machinery. 

Mr. Gray, of the Mowbray Works, Sheffield, has intro- 
duced machine-made shoes faced with steel, and grooved into 
two or more sharji I'idges on their ground surface. When 
fitted, these shoes are tempered ; consequently they are 
harder t])an iron, should wear for a longer peiiod, and may 
thus he made lighter. If their hardness does not cause 
them to be more slippery on smooth pavement, when the 
ridges have become somewhat worn, than the ii'ou shoe, 
they should be an improvement, and prove cheaper than 
those commonly in use. 

More recently, grooved and surface-cut rolled iron bars 



.182 HORSE-SHOEING. 

have been introduced witli some success for the manufacture 
of horse-shoes. 

Material. — Machine-made horse-shoes have, unfortunately, 
never hitherto pr-oved successful, from the material of which 
they are manufactured proving either too soft — when they 
were too rapidly worn out — or too hard, when they liad a 
tendency either to break or induce slipping. 

We have remarked how im])ortant it is that the shoes 
worn l)y liorses should be as light as possible. It is genei'- 
ally a good plan, if a horse wears his shoes more at one 
part than another, so that they do not last a sufficient time, 
to weld in a small piece of steel at that place, instead of 
thickening the shoe and making it heavier. The latter 
method, which is that generally adopted to save time, most 
frequently defeats its purpose — the increased weight caus- 
ing the animal to drag its feet heavily along the ground in- 
stead of lifting them freely. 

Lightness and durability can only be attained by employ- 
ing the best material. 

Nail-holes. — The form of the shoe having been decided 
Tipon, the position and shape of the nail-holes, as well as 
their number, have next to be considered. 

The shoe ought to be attached by nails to those parts 
of the wall where the horn is strongest and toughest. In 
the fore-foot, these parts ai-e in front and along the sides 
to the quarters ; there the hoi^n becomes narrow and thin, 
and the nails find less support, and are nearer to the liv- 
ing textures ; this is more particularly the case toward the 
lieels, especially the inner one. In the hind-foot, the wall 
is generally strong toward the quarters and heel. These 
facts at once give us an indication as to the best position for 
the nail-holes. In the fore-foot, nails can be driven through 
the wall around the toe as far as the inside quarter, and a 
little nearer the heel on the outside. In the hind-foct, they 



HORSE-SHOEING, 183 

may be driven around tlie toe, and even np to the heels 
with impunity. 

The form of the nail-holes is a matter of secondary im- 
portance. The "fullering," or groove around the ]>order of 
the English shoe, though artistic-looking, is a mistake; it is 
a waste of labor and of but little, if any, service. What is 
termed the " stamped shoe," is in every way preferable. 
The square or somewhat oval cavity, wide at the top and 
tajtering toward the bottom, gives a secure and solid lodg- 
ment to the nail-head; which of course should fit the cavity 
accurately ; it does not weaken the shoe, is easily made, can 
bo })laced nearer the outer or inner margin of the plate as 
required, and when tilled with the nail is as capable of 
resisting wear as any other jiart of the shoe. It is usually "bet- 
ter to have the nail-holes stamped "coarse" (that is, at some 
distance froni the outer margin of the shoe) at i)oints cor- 
responding to those parts of the hoof where the wall is 
strongest; and " tinei'," where the horn is thin and its 
iibi'es short. 

They should not, as a ride, incline outward or inward, 
but be so perforated that the nail-point can take a strong or 
weak hold of the wall, according to circumstances. If the 
hoof be strong, with plenty of wall at its lower maigin, then 
the holes may be stamped coarse, in order to take a short 
but solid hold of it, by driving the nail obliquely outward 
(as in Fig. 16, a). 

The number of nail-holes through which nails are to be 
driven should be as few as possible. Every nail penetrating 
the wall of the foot, no matter how skillfully it may be 
placed, may he looked upon as a source of injury to it, by 
splitting asunder or breaking its fibres. On the form and 
Aveight of the shoe will greatly depend the number of nails 
required to retain it. With that I have described as used 
in hunting, or as modified l)v me, and which rests firmlv on 



184 HORSE-SHOEING. 

wall and sole, as well as being as light as is compatible 
with a certain period of wear, but few nails are needed. 
The ordinary heavy shoe, on the contrary, is not only dam- 
aging to the foot, because it rests on such a narrow l)asis, 
but also because its weight and instability necessitates its 
being attached by a large number of long thick nails, which 
do .irreat harm to the hoof. 




Fig. 10. 

With care in fitting a properly constructed shoe, and 
skill in placing tlie nails firmly in sound horn, the usual 
number may be considerably reduced ; so that instead of 
seven to ten being required, it will be found that from four 
to six are equally serviceable, and even these may be of 
diminished size. For shoes worn by medium-sized draught- 
hoi'ses, I seldom allow more than six nails in the fore and 
seven in the hind feet ; more frequently the former are 
secured by five nails — three in the outside and two in the 
inside branch of the shoe, and the latter by three on each 
side. 

The fewer the number of nail-holes, the greater is the 
necessity for distributing them wide apart ; indeed, it is a 
grave blunder to cluster the nails closely together in the 
hoof, as they break and weaken the horn, and attach the 
shoe much less securely than if they were spread over a 



IIOUSK-SHOEIXG. 185 

wider surface. Calkins demand the employment of addi- 
tional nails, from their liability to become fixed Ijetween 
.stones, and also from the strain they occasion. 

It must always be rcmeml^ered that the retention of a shoe 
for a sufficient period does not so much depend upon th(; 
number of nails attaching it, as upon their disposition and 
upon its exact fitting and solid l^earing on the wall and sole 
of the hoof. It should also be borne in mind that where 
there is a clip there ought to be no nail ; lameness is not un- 
frequently produced l)y a tightly-adjusted clip making so 
much pressure upon the nail and horn within it as to cause 
pain and inflammation. 

We have alluded to the various ])atterns of shoes in use, 
and pointed out their defects and requirements. As, in pi-e- 
paring the hoof, genei'al princijjles were laid down which are 
applicable to eveiy kind of animal — from the race-horse to 
the mammoth draught-beast employed in our large manu- 
facturing cities — so in the shape of the shoe and its essential 
characteristics general principles must everywhere prevail. 
Where speed is demanded, as in the race-horse, hunter, etc., 
lightness and security of foothold on soft or slippery land 
are the chief desiderata ; with coach and other draught ani- 
mals of less speed, and which are principally used on paved 
roads, heavier shoes are needed to sustain wear, and they 
must also afibrd security ; but while, with the racer, hunter, 
and other animals nearly always moving over soft soil, 
calkins may be resorted to without much detriment to the 
limb and foot, as they sink into the ground, on the shoes of 
horses working on hard roads they are objectionable for the 
reasons stated; if they are resorted to, their injurious action 
should be averted by employing a toe-piece of the same 
height. 

For the race-horse the narrowest iron rim is sufficient, 



18G HORSE-SHOEING. 

])rovicled it is strong enough not to twist or bend. The 
I)i-esent form of shoe is not objectionable. 

For hunters, liacks, and harness horses, a shoe of the 
modified ])attern I have described is well adapted ; even the 
ordinary hunting pattern, but without the calkin on the 
liind-shoe, is infinitely preferable to that used for hacks and 
harness horses. 

Another excellent form of shoe, introduced by Stafi" Vete- 
rinary Surgeon Thacker, and which has been in use for some 
time in "Woolwich on riding and harness horses, deserves to 
be mentioned here. It is broader in the cover at the toe 
than the heels (Fig. 17); at the toe it is slightly curved up- 
ward, to remove it from the greater amount of wear occur- 
ing at this p"»rt, and also as a safeguard against horses' 
stumbling. This curve also acts as a clip to prevent the 
shoe moving backwaid. The foot-surface is quite flat, and 




Fis. 17. 

rests on the sole and wall (Fig. 17). The gi'ound-surface 
(Fig. 18) is bevelled somewhat like the hunting or modi- 
fied shoe I have described, with the intention of protecting 
the heads of the nails from too much wear, and offering no 
line or cavity whereby a stone can lodge or become wedged. 
The cover or " web " of the shoe is gradually brought very 
narrow at the heels, its outer i-im coiTesponding exactly 
with the crust, and the ends of the branches terminating at 



HORSE-SHOEING. 187 

the lieels of the foot, thus ofiering protection to the crust 
only, and without i)i-esenting any surface to l.)e trodden upon 
or allowing the least suction in heavy ground. 




Fio. 18. 

Tlie nail-holcs are in the centre of the v:eb, and are 
directed outward, Ijy which the nails pass obliquely across 
the fibres of the wall and secure a good hold, without a|)- 
proaching the sensitive parts too closely. Three-fourths of 
an inch is supposed to be the height necessaiy to drive the 
nails. 

There are two small clii)s — one on each side of the cur- 
vature at the toe — and these not only sujDport the dimin- 
ished niimber of nails, but require that the farrier fit the 
shoe to the circumference of the foot. The smallest-sized 
nails should be invariably used, and fitted into each nail- 
hole before applying the shoe — the shoe to be light and 
made of good material. This j)attern, like the modified 
shoe I have proposed, is suitable for either fore or hind feet. 

It may be mentioned that, with the (ixcejition of the two 
side-clips at the toe, this shoe is nearly identical in shajie 
with that recommended by Colonel Fitzwygram in his ex- 
cellent work on shoeini;. 



188 HORSE-SHOEING. 



APPLYING THE SHOE. 



The foot liaving been duly prepared, and the form of shoe 
decided upon, the next step is to apply the shoe to the hoof, 
and I'etain it there by nails. 

In ordinary practice the wall of the foot has been only 
j)artially diminished, the remainder of the task being left 
until the shoe has to be fitted. This causes the farrier to 
have a very imperfect idea of the proper shape or size of 
the hoof, and he therefore ])repares a shoe which he guesses 
is about the size, though in nearly every case it is too small; 
and, moulding it according to his fancy, he proceeds to adjust 
the foot to it. This is done by cutting more or less deeply 
into the wall at the toe, to make the shoe appear long enough 
1)y embedding the clip deeply in its substance, or " letting 
it back," as it is termed. The consequence is, that when 
the shoe has 1)een nailed on, the basis of support of the limb 
is al:)normally diminished, a large portion of the wall of the 
lioof — its strongest portion — projects beyond the shoe in 
front and at the sides, and this is afterward carefully re- 
moved by the }'asp, to the great injury of the most essential 
])ortion of the hoof. In every respect, the foot is made to 
fit the shape cf the shoe, and as this is generally prepared 
with a view only to neatness or the traditions of routine, 
the organ suffers, to please the fancy or fashion of the un- 
I'easoniug artisan. 

By our anethod, the horn having been reduced to proper 
dimensions, the shoe is now made to exactly fit the hoof, 
and to follow the outline of its lower face. The jmrt of the 
hoof intended to be protected by the iron rim has been made 
as level as possible by the rasp, aided a very little, perhaps, 
by the knife ; the surface of the shoe destined to rest on 
this liorny Ijed has also been made perfectly level and Bmooth, 
})articularly at the clip or clips, and it is to be correctly 



HOUSE-SHOEING.. 189 

fitted. The farrier sliould so mould the slice that it be an 
exact reproduction in outline of the circumference of the 
hoof. To make it appear so when applied, it may be neces- 
sary to remove a little of the wall at the part corresponding 
to the clip, merely to make the fit more accurate and not 
allow any portion of the shoe to pi'oject unduly beyond the 
horn. 

The length of the shoe will vary with the uses to which 
the horse is put. For i^acing, hunting, and other purposes 
in which the hind limbs are carried forward to an extreme 
degree in propelling the body, the branches of the fore-shoe 
must on no account extend beyond the inflexion of the wall, 
otherwise the shoe is liable to be torn ofi" by the hind-foot, 
and the horse thrown down. The end of the branch should 
also be carefully rounded off and bevelled (as in Fig. 13), so 
as to leave nothing whatever by which the hind-shoe might 
catch it. 

With harness and draught-horses this extreme care in 
shortening and bevelling the heels is not so necessary; indeed, 
in the heavier and slower-paced animals, it is freciuently ad- 
vantageous to allow the shoes to be rather longer at the 
heels than the hoof itself. 

As a rule, then, the shoe ought to be wide enough at the 
toe, quarters and heels, to support the entire thickness of 
the wall, but yet not so wide or long as to endanger the op- 
posite limbs by striking them, or run the chance of being 
torn off by the other feet treading upon it ; and it should 
not interfere with the frog, or prevent that organ from play- 
ing its part in the physiology of the foot. 

The adjustment of the shoe to the exact circumference of 
the hoof is usually effected at the same time as the fitting 
together of the two surfaces of iron and horn which ai'e to 
remain in contact. To render both accurate, the liorse 
should always be shod at a forge. A hammer and anvil are 



J 90 IIOBSE-SHOEING. 

necessary to mould the heated shoe to the requisite shape ; 
and it is ahnost, if not quite, impossible to obtain a ])erfectly 
true and solid adaptation of the upper face of the shoe to 
the horn on which it is to rest, within any i-easonable time, 
unless it be fitted to the hoof in a hot state. 

Hot and Gold Fitting. — For A'ery many years the two sys- 
tems of fitting horseshoes in a cold and a heated condition 
to the hoofs have been extensively and severely tested, and 
the result has been that cold fitting is, as a i-ule, only i-e- 
sorted to when circumstances prevent the adoption of the 
other method, or when the owner of a horse, imagining that 
the hot shoe injures the foot, incurs the risks attending a 
bad fit to guard against his imaginary evil. 

It is needless, in a brief essay like the present, to enter 
into a I'elation of the observations and experiments which 
have established the undoubted and great superiority of 
what is termed "hot" to *'cold" fitting. These will bo 
found noticed at some length in a work recently published 
by me, entitled " Horseshoes and Horseshoeing." It may 
be sufficient to state that the evils supposed to result from 
fitting the shoes hot to the hoofs are purely chimerical. It 
is true, when the sole is excessively mutilated should the 
farrier keep the heated shoe too long in contact with it, in- 
jury would doubtless follow, but this accident is so exceed- 
ingly rare as to be scarcely ever known, even in forges 
where shoeing is performed in the most objectionable man- 
ner. The ill effects imagined to arise from hot shoeing can 
easily be ti'aced to the operation of other causes, not the 
least of which is the fashion of pai-ing the lower face of the 
foot. 

The chief objections to cold shoeing are the want of 
solidity, the foot being made to fit the shoe, and the pi'ocess 
being moi'e difficult and expensive. 
, The defective solidity is patent to every one who has had 



HORSE-SHOEING. 191 

any experience in tlio matter. It is impossible to level the 
ends of the hoi^n-fibres so acciirately that they will all rest 
evenly on the surface of the ii'on; so those which are most 
pi'ominent soon giving way to pressure, the bed of the shoe is 
altered, and this, becoming loose, is either lost, or we have 
projecting clenches. And even should the fibres be made 
perfectly level, wet softens them, causing them to become 
pulpy and shorter, by which means the seat of the shoe is 
impaired and the nails lose their firm hold of the wall. 
Ample experience on active service, as well as that gathered 
at home during peace, has demonstrated the instal)ility re- 
sulting from cold fitting. 

Owing to the increased trouble and loss of time incurred 
by this method in attempts to make the shoe fit somewhat 
accurately, but few farriers can afford or are willing to resort 
to it. Hence, when it is practised, if the shoe is at all like 
the foot, it- is put on, and rasp and knife insure the hoof 
being made to fib it. This pi^oceeding is veiy injurious. 

In hot fitting we have none of these objections. The shoe 
is very readily adapted to the foot; it is more equally ap- 
plied, and rests solidly on the hoof, so that the nails are not 
broken or displaced by the shoe becoming loose; in fine, 
there is a more intimate contact between the iron and the 
surface of the horn. The veiy fact of burning or fusing the 
ends of the fibres insures a solid, durable bed which cannot 
be obtained otherwise, as this destroys the spongy absorbent 
properties of the horn and renders it eminently calculated 
to withstand the influence of moisture. The effects pro- 
duced on horn by the hot iron have been compared to those 
of fire on pieces of wood whose ends have been superficially 
carbonized before being buried in the gi'ound. Eveiy one 
knows that this operation contributes to the preservation of 
the wood by pi'eservlng it from the action of humidity. 

Horn is a very slow conductor of heat, and it requii-es a 



192 HORSE-SHOEING. 

very prolonged application of the hot shoe to affect the hoof 
to any considerable depth. Three minutes' burning of the 
lower face of the sole has been found necessary to produce 
any indication of increase of temperature by the thermome- 
ter on its upper surface. It is never required tliat the shoe 
should be applied longer than a few seconds. 

The hot shoe, in fusing the horn with which it comes in 
contact, imprints itself like a seal in melted sealing-wax, 
and in this way the two surfaces of foot and shoe exactly 
coincide; wliilc no matter how expert the workman may be 
in using his tools to level the horn in a cold state, he can 
never do it so quickly or so completely as may be done by 
making an impression with the heated shoe, and conse- 
(piently establishing between the lower margin of the hoof 
and the shoe an exact coaptation. 

It may be added that, when the surface of the horn ha.« 
been softened by the action of caloric, the nails enter it more 
readily, the clips and inequalities are more easily embedded, 
and when it recovers its habitual consistency after cooling, 
the union Ijetween it and the metallic parts which are in 
contact becomes all the more intimate because of the slight 
conti'action that follows the expansion produced by the 
heat. Under these conditions, the horn contracts on the 
shanks of the nails, and retains them most securely. 

All the highest veterinary authoritities who have studied 
the subject are imanimous in recommending hot fitting in 
preference to cold; the latter is only justifiable when it is 
impossible to adopt the former. The ret-hot shoe at once 
disposes of those inequalities which cannot be discovered, or 
I'emoved by tools; and it shows the workman at a glance 
the bearing of the shoe on the hoof, as well as the imprint 
of the nail-holes. Without being reheated, any alteration 
can be readily and at once efiected in moulding the shoe to 
the shane of the two. 



HORSESHOEING. 193 

Tlic whole surtace of tlu; shoe intended to Ijo in contact 
with the liovn should be distinctly impressed on the contour 
of the hoof, so as to insure the closest and most accm-ate 
intimacj between the two ; and this carbonized surface 
should not be interfered Avith on any account, excej^t by the 
rasp, which, is only to be em])loyed in I'omoving any sharp- 
ness or inequality on the extreme edge of the wall that may 
liave been caused in fitting. 

It is necessary to bear in mind that the shoe should be 
fitted at a red lieat. Its application then need only be A-ery 
brief, and it is far more effective in ])roducing a solid, level 
surface ; it ought not to be applied at a black heat. Should 
the margin of the hoof not be sufficiently levelled by the 
ras^) before the application of the hot shoe, a slight contact of 
the latter will show the inecpialities, and these may then be 
removed by rasp or knife. On ]io occasion ought the shoe 
to remain longer on the hoof than is necessary to ])roduce a 
solid, perfectly level surtace. 

The Nails. — -The shoe having been made to fit the hoof 
exactly, is cooled and finished with the file. It is then 
ready to be attached to the hoof by nails. These should not 
b^ unnecessarily large, as is too often the case, but Avell 
proportioned to th(^ size of the shoe. The heads should only 
l>e sufficient to fill the nail-holes when subjected to two or 
three smart blows of the hamnuu-, and the shanks thin. It,. 
is scarcely necessary to add that the nails, like the shoe^^ 
should always be made of the best iron. 

DrivliKj tlui Nails. — -In driving the nails into the hoof;, 
e\-cry one should be made to j^ass through sound horn. 
It is a mistake to place them where the wall is broken or- 
pcu'forated l)y previous nails, as this only makes bad worse ;, 
and care should be taken to dii'ect each nail so accurately 
that it may make its exit at the desired point in the face 
of the wall at once. Careless or unskillful driving of the 



194 HORSE-SHOEING. 

nails necessitates their being withdrawn several times be- 
fore they are properly implanted, and as each nail, however 
carefully it may be placed in the wall at the first attempt, 
is a source of injuiy by splitting asunder and perforating 
the fihres, it follows that when several attempts have to be 
made the injury is proportionately increased. 

A short thick hold of the wall is better than a long thin 
one. If possible, no more horn should be included within 
the grasp of the nail than is likely to be removed at the 
following shoeing. By this means the wall is constantly 
maintained sonnd. 

A foot allowed to grow strong in the manner I have 
described, will suffer no inconvenience in having the nails 
driven tightly into the shoe and hoof after they have been 
placed in the wall. 

Where the hoof is thin, as at the quarters and heels of 
the fore-foot, smaller and more slender nails must be iised, 
and these must be less tightly di-iven. The toe nails should 
be fii'st hammered home firmly, then the quarter and heel 
nails lightly. Every nail should form a part of the shoe, 
and the head should barely project above it ; when all are 
solidly disposed, they must be tightly "drawn up" at the 
ends (the points havdng been twisted off previously) by 
means of the hammer and pincers, tising the same gradu- 
ated degree of force as in driving them home. 

Conclusion of the Operation. — Nothing then i-emains to 
be done but to bend down or "clench" the portion of nail 
so drawn up on the face of the wall. This should be accom- 
plished by shortening the fragment to a jiroper length by 
the rasp, so as to leave just enough to turn over ; the i-asp 
also i-emoves the small barb of horn raised in drawing up 
the nail, but without making a notch, and then the clench 
is laid down evenly. No more rasping or cutting should 
be allowed on any pretext whatever. 



HORSE-SHOEING. 195 

Rasping. — Very diffei*ent to this treatment is that prac- 
tised in nearly every forge, where the front of the hoof is 
rasped most unmercifully as high as the coronet. Indeed, 
in the majority of books on farriery it is recommended that, 
though the wall ought not to be rasped above the clenches, 
this must be done below them ; evidently ignorant of the 
fact that nearly as much, if not more, harm is done by this 
operation below than above these rivets. 

Those who study what I have said concerning the struc- 
ture of the wall of the hoof will readily enough understand 
the amount of injury inflicted on the foot by this rasping. 

Over the whole external face of this part there a{)pears 
to be spread a fine translucent horn, which looks like a 
varnish, whose ofiice in all probability is to prevent undue 
drying of the hoof and consequent brittleness. Immediately 
beneath this are the dense i^esisting fibi^es of the wall, which 
are intended to resist wear, and are best adapted to support 
a shoe, through the medium of the nails ; in fact, they are 
the fibres which ought to perform this duty, as Ijeneath 
them, toward the inside of the wall, the horn rapidly 
becomes soft and spongy, and more like the pith of a rush. 

In consequence of the farrier having neglected to remove 
a sufficient amount of horn fi-om the lower margin of the 
wall, when preparing the foot for the shoe, or having 
nailed on a ]")late too small for its natural circumference, a 
large piece of the solid material ]j rejects beyond tlie slioe, 
particularly in front and at the sides. This is torn away 
by the rasp, after the clenches have been laid down : and 
when this has been done what do we see? The wall of the 
foot, instead of coming down from the coronet to the slioi! 
in all its integrity and evenness of slope, as soon as it 
reaches the clenches is chopped abrui)tly downward, giving 
the foot a stump or club-like appearance, and greatly dimin- 
ishing the extent of its bearing surface. The greatest evil, 



196 HORSE-SHOEING. 

however, is the loss of the strong, tough Jiorn, whose ])res- 
ence is so necessary to protect the lower inargin of the lioof 
and afford support and hold to the nails. 

In consequence of its removal, these have nothing to 
retain them but the thin pellicle of soft horn remaining, 
and this being so weak, and exposed to influences it was 
never intended to encounter, quickly dries up, shrivels, 
becomes brittle, and cracks or I^reaks away in flakes. Then 
we have a hoof deprived of its horn, and in as unnatural a 
condition as can well be imagined ; it has been so Ijarbar- 
ously mutilated as to require the greatest care next shoeing 
to place the nails in a shred of sound horn ; the operation 
of rasping and curtailment being repeated each time in- 
creases the evil, and should a shoe chance to come off on 
the road — an accident, it may be inferred, exti-emely likely 
to happen — great damage will be done to the pared sole, 
and the thin, brittle, slit-up wall, and in all probability, 
after a few yai-ds traveling, the animal will be lamed. 

The morbid desire to make fine work of shoeing, when 
the horse was first shod, ends in the greatest amount of 
skill and labor being required to continue it, and keep the 
animal to some extent fit for service, though with deformed 
feet, seriously damaged horn, and perhaps gTcat suffering. 

The truth of tliis can be verified by a casual glance at 
the hoofs of almost every horse that passes us in town or 
country, though perhaps it is most conspicuous in town- 
shod horses. 

One of the most serious resiilts of this excessive mutila- 
tion of the lower part of the wall is the production of a 
chronic form of laininitis, marked by slight subsidence half- 
way down the front of the foot, and to a less degree at the 
side, with an abrupt, rounded protrusion of the part that is 
always exposed to rasping. 

This deformity, which caiTses pain and altered gait in the 



HORSE-SHOF.ING. 197 

majority of cases, arises from the irritation caused to the 
sensitive parts within by the removal of their natural pro- 
tection, but more particularly from the fact that the nails, 
to retain the shoe, must be diiven through a sufficient 
amount of the soft horn, and this brings them so near the 
living parts that they press upon them to such a degree as 
to set up an acute or subacute inflammation that leads to 
this deformity and its attendant lameness. 

Cases of this description will be found to be by no means 
uncommon among the horses in our streets, and for many 
years I have been able to trace the evil effects of the prac- 
tice from their commencement until the animal was a hope- 
less cripple. 

• When the coachman, groom, or farrier's fancy causes the 
rasp to be carried above the clenches to the top of the hoof, 
then of course the injury is greatly aggravated. 

The thin, semi-translucent horn that extends in a some- 
what wide, whitish-colored band around the upper part of 
the foot, is chiefly intended by Nature, I think, to jjrotect 
the filjres of the wall from the efiects of external physical 
influences, such as heat and dryness, while they are being 
secreted, or so immature as to be incapable of resisting these 
influences — for it will be remembered that the wall is formed 
at the coronet, and this covering guarantees not only the in- 
tegrity of the newly-made horn-tubes, but also maintains 
the secreting vessels that enter them in a healthy condition, 
and competent to supply fresh luaterial for wear. 

The destruction of this band, and the rasping of the fibres 
Ijeneath it, is detrimental to the healthy secretion of the 
wall-fibres, and leads to the same i-esult that paring the sole 
was shown to do — shrinking of the horn-tubes containing 
the tufts of A-essels, wasting of these, a diminished supply 
of horny material in consequence, and a thin, brittle wall 
that scarcely ai)i)ears to grow down at all in depth or 



198 HORSE-SHOKING. 

thickness, and barely allows a shoe to be attached to it. 
fSand-ci'ack, and other diseased conditions of this 2>art of the 
hoof, are mainly due to this cause. 

After applying the shoe in the manner we have described, 
and laying down the clenches evenly on the wall of the hoof, 
no more i-equires to be done, unless, perhaps, it be to round 
a little more the edge of the narrow shreds of horn that 
may project on each side of the clip, and thus prevent their 
liability to split. The angle of the face of the hoof should 
never be interfered with after the shoe is nailed on, but 
should be the same from top to bottom as in the natural 
state. This is a matter of great imjjoi'tance. Too much 
stress cannot be laid iipon the preservation of the horn of 
the hoof in its integrity. No amount of rasping or artifi* 
cial treatment can give the hoof the beautiful polish it has 
in its natural state. 

Laying down Clips. — At this stage, it is usual to apply 
the clip or clips more exactly and evenly to the hoof before 
completing the operation of shoeing ; and even this appa- 
rently trifling matter demands care. With gradually de- 
creasing blows of the shoeing-hammer, each clip should be 
applied close to the hoof, commencing at the bottom, where 
it springs from the shoe, and ascending to its point. Clips 
should never be driven tight into the hoof. This is injixri- 
ous, and may induce disease. 

I When, in due course, the period arrives for re-shoeing — 
usually in a month or five weeks — the hoofs require to be 
reduced to their normal dimensions ; the rules we have laid 
down for guidance are to be followed out in the most 
scrupulous manner. The old shoe is to be gently removed 
fi'oin the foot by carefully cutting away the clenches with 
the buffer; the pincers are then to be inserted toward the 
heel, l^etween the hoof and shoe, and the latter prized stead- 
ily upward from and across the foot. When by this means 



ITOKSE-SHOEING. 199 

tlio nails liave heen siifficieutly sprung, they may be witli- 
drawn one by one. Particular care must l)e taken that no 
clenches or broken nails remain in the hoof, as these are 
likely to turn the ])oints of the succeeding nails into the 
living parts of the foot. 

iSuch, then, on the one hand, is shoeing as it is usually 
})racticed, to the great injury of the horse ; and, on the 
other hand, shoeing as it ought to be performed, so as to 
maintain the comfort and efficiency of this noble and inval- 
uable animal. 

It will be obsei'ved that no claim is here made to any 
wonderful novelty or discovery in the way of a shoe that 
will answer every ]>urpose, and keep CA^eiy horse wearing it 
in a state of health. Such an invention jnust be left to 
those whose ])ractical experience is of the most limited char- 
acter, and who fancy that the evils of shoeing are concen- 
ti'ated in the metal ])late alone. It may be sufficient to 
say, in this ])lace, that, so far as the comfort, utility, and 
well-being of the liorse are concerned, the ])i'eservation of 
the foot in health by abstaining from mutilating and de- 
forming it with knife and i-asp, is of the highest importance. 
Tf this be done, the shoe most appropriate for certain ])ur- 
poses demands some attention, but is leally a matter of 
minor consideration. 

Pi-eserve the hoof intact and strong, and the animal will 
travel long and soundly in a veiy uncouth foot armature; 
j)are and rasp it according to " im])roved principles," and the 
most labored, expensive, and artistic device in the foi'm of a 
shoe will not prevent discomfort, unsoundness, disease, and 
[)remature uselessness. 

At an early ])eriod of my professional career, I was inuch 
dissatisfied with the i-esults of shoeing as it is practised in 
ordinary forges, and with the unreasonableness of the fishion 
of depriving the foot of its natural and most efficient pro- 



200 HORSE-SHOEING. 

tection, and was soon led to perceive that a vast majority of 
the liorses so treated soon became deformed and lame in 
their feet; while some of the diseases occurring higher np in 
the limbs were likewise due to this cause. 

The rational method here inculcated was then ado})ted, 
and now for very many years the only preparation the foot 
has received for the shoe has been leveling the wall, in con- 
formity with the direction of the limb and foot, and remov- 
ing as much of its margin as will restore it to its natural 
length, leaving the sole, frog, bars, and heels in all their 
integrity. Such has been the treatment of the hoofs of the 
horses under my care in various parts of the world, and in 
far more trying circumstances at times, so far as shoeing is 
concerned, than are likely to occur in the regular work of 
towns; and so strong were the hoofs, as a rule, such solid 
blocks of horn did they appear, that when a shoe was, by 
Kome rare chance, lost on a journey, there was no danger 
whatever to Ije apprehended from marching the horse ten, 
twenty, or even thirty miles, without it. Horses have never 
been pi'icked in nailing, and foot diseases, it may be said, 
have been all but unknown. The roughest roads and the 
shai'pest stones can be ti-aveled over with imi)unity. Nearly 
every hoof might be taken as a model, and he pronounced 
as perfect as before the animal was shod, many years j.n-e- 
viously. 

This alistinence from paring and rasping, it will be sfen, 
very materially lessens the time and laljor recpiired in the 
orduiary method ; indeed, nothing can bo simpler than the 
conservative principle of shoeing, and this simplicity cau be 
effectively carried into practice with one-half the instruction 
and toil I'equired for the ])0]>ular mode. 

Other methods of shoeing have been devised from time to 
time, and may be briefly referred to here. 

To diminish the weight and permit a portion of the pes- 



HORSE-SHOEING. 201 

tevior part of the foot to come in direct contact with the 
ground along with the frog, a three-quarter shoe is ofteai 
applied — the portion of iron extending from the inside quar- 
ter to the point of the heel being cut off, and the shoe at 
this i)art thinned a little. The hoi'n left un])rotected is 
never interfered with. This is an excellent shoe for saddle 
and carriage, and even draught horses, which may be em- 
ployed on the worst roads while wearing it. For feet that 
have siiflfei'ed very much from the efi'ects of rasping and 
paring, and which are liable to have bruised heels (or corns), 
its use is attended with the greatest benefit. 

The same may be said of "tips" or half-shoes. An iin- 
reasonable prejudice appears to exist against the use of these 
light, short plates ; but, if they ai'e applied in appropriate 
cases, there can be no doubt whatever that they are enti- 
tled to a far lai'ger share of attention than they have yet 
received. Their very limited employment hitherto may 
have arisen from the imperfect manner in which they have 
been used. They protect those parts of the wall most ex- 
])osed to damage by wear, extending around the toe and 
reaching no farther than the quarters ; while the heels 
and frog, when left unpared and unrasped, are strong enough 
to meet all demands made u})on them, at the same time they 
ai'e not dejirived of their physiological functions. 

In addition to these considerations, the diiuinution in 
the weight of the shoe is a matter of some importance. Of 
course, the three-quai'ter shoe and tip are only required for 
the fore-feet ; the hind-feet shoes, so long as they are level, 
are not over heavy, and do not wound the opposite limljs, 
may be of the ordinaiy pattern. On this diflference between 
the management of the fore and hind foot we cannot too 
much insist. The fore foot is particularly disposed to dis- 
ease and injury ; the hind-foot is Avonderfully exempt. So 
much is this the case, indeed, that the proper management 



202 HORSE-SHOEING. 

of the first is all important, Avhile the other requires l^ut lit- 
tle attention. The reason of this is due to the fact that the 
iiorizontal body, and long, heavy neck and head of the horse, 
cause the largest proportion of the weight to fall upon the 
front i^air of supporting columns, and, through them, upon 
the feet : the fore-limbs are those most concerned in sup- 
])orting weight, the hind ones in jH-opelling the body for- 
ward. Hence the necessity foi- allowing as much of the lower 
face of the fore-foot as possible to come in contact with the 
ground ; and hence the prevalence of disease in it when im- 
I)roper shoeing limits its points of contact to the narrowest 
dimensions. 

Various Methods of Shoeing. — Another form of shoe 
is that commonly known as the " bar shoe " — a ling or an- 
nular j^late of metal which increases the surface of contact 
by resting, to a large extent, on the frog, and allowing that 
important body to participate in weight- bearing; in this way 
it also relieves the heels when these are weak or injured. It 
is a very useful shoe, but the additional weight given to it 
by the bar, and the extra strain on the nails retaining it to 
the hoof, are drawbacks. 

To apply a shoe in such a manner as to allow the frog to 
i-eceive a due amount of pi-essure has always been the aim of 
those Avho have made the horse's foot an object of careful 
study. Even with the ordinary shoe, if it he not too thick 
nor garnished with calkins, the frog, if unmutilated, in the 
large majority of cases will rest upon the ground for nearly 
the whole of its length, and sustain beneficial wear. Nearly 
every one of the horses at present in my charge, though 
shod with the army regulation shoe — a veiy defective model 
— have their frogs in this condition ; while all the private 
horses wearing the modified shoe I have described, exhibit 
the frog resting for the whole of its length and breadth on 
the ground. 



HORSE-SHOEING. 203 

But this object, witli others of importance, is perfectly 
attained in what has been designated the " periplantar shoe 
and method of shoeing," introduced by Veterinary Surgeon 
Charlier, of Paris. Leave the hoof ejitirely in a natural 
condition, so far as frog, sole and wall are concerned, and 
imbed a narrow rim of iron, no thicker than the wall, 
around the lower circumference of the foot — that exposed 
to wear — like the iron heel of a man's boot, and we obtain 
an idea of what the periplantar method c^ shoeing really is. 

The principle of this method of shoeing is, phj'siologically, 
perfectly correct. Knowing that the horse's foot is admi- 
rably constructed to perfoi'm certain definite functions, and 
that the hoof in ordinary condition is designed to act as the 
medium through which the most important of these are 
carried out, but that its circumference is liable to be broken 
away and worn when nudely exposed, we have only to sub- 
stitute for a certain portion of this perishable horn an equiv- 
alent portion of more durable metal, and the hoof is secured 
from damage by wear, while its natural functions remain 
unimpaired. 

This novel method of shoeing has attracted so much 
attention, and has in many instances proved so beneficial 
and worthy of adoption, so far as my exi)erience goes, that 
I venture to describe, as briefly as ])0ssible, the way 'in 
which it is carried into execution in the forge. 

The sole and frog, as well as the bars, are left unpared. 
The crust or wall is bevelled oft' at the edge by the rasp, 
and by means of a special knife with a movable guide * a 
groove is made along this bevelled edge to receive the shoe. 
This groove is made a little shallower than the thickness of 
the sole, and slightly narrower than the thickness of the 



^ A knife of tliis kind which I invented, is manufactured and sold by Messrs. 
Arnold & Son, Instrument Makers, West Smithfield, London. 



204 HORSESHOEING. 

Vail, not extending beyond the white line sej^arating the 
suic from the wall (Fig. 19). 




Fig. 19. 

Into this groove is fitted the shoe. This is a narrow, but 
somewhat deep band of iron (or, as now, a mixture of iron 
and steel), narrower at the top than the bottom, and forged 
in such a manner that its front surface follows the slope of 
the foot. It is pei'forated by from four to six oval nail-holes 
of small size, and if necessary may be provided with a clip 
at the toe. Its upper inner edge is rounded by the file, to 
jjrevent it pressing too much against the angle of the sole, 
and the ends of the branches are narrow and bevelled off 
toward the ground (Fig. 20). 

The nails are very small, and have a conical head and 
neck (Fig. 21). They must be of the best quality. 

It is best to fit the shoe in a hot state, as it must have a 
level bed and follow exactly the outline of the wall. After 
it has been fitted, it is advisable to remove, by a small 
drawing-knife, a little of the horn from the angle of the 
groove in the hoof, to correspond with the rounded inner 
edge of the shoe. This insures a proper amount of space 



HORSE-SHOEING. 



205 



between the latter and the soft horn at the margin of the 
pedal bone. 

In strong hoofs the shoe is almost entirely buried in the 
groove ; but in those which have the soles flat or convex, 
with low heels, it is not safe to imbed it so deeply. 

The application of the hot shoe in fitting should not ex- 
tend beyond a very few seconds. 




Flo. 20. 



Fig. 21. 



The shoe is nailed to the hoof in the ordinary manner 
(Fig. 22). For saddle and light cari-iage-horses, I have 
usually found four nails — two on each side — for each shoe 
sufficient. These should be placed wide apart at the toe 
and rather close to the heel (Fig. 23, a, h). Every nail 
must be diiven in sound horn, otherwise the shoe, being so 
narrow, may get the bi'anch bent out, and nothing more is 
needed than to lay the clenches down evenly on the wall. 
No rasping is required. "When the shoe is attached to the 
foot, we then perceive that a portion of the sole and bars, 
and the whole of the frog, meet the ground as in the unshod 
state (Fig. 23). 

The great advantages of this method of shoeing consist in 
its simplicity, when farriers have Ijeen made to understand 



206 



HORSE-SHOEING. 



it ; its ])lacing the hoof in a natm-al condition, so far as its' 
ground-face is concerned ; the small number and size of the 




Fig. 22. 



nails required to retain it ; the lightness of the shoe, and 
the security it gives to the horse in jn-ogression. 

Since its introduction hj M. Charlier, I have tried this 




Fia. 23. 



method on a largo number of horses of various sizes, and 
which have been employed for hunting, road, carriage, and 



HORSE-SHOEING. 207 

draught, and am perfectly satisfied tliat it is a valuable ac- 
cessory mode of defending and preserving the hoofs, and 
.remedying their diseases or defects. It cannot be applied 
indiscriminately to every foot, and to make the groove in 
the hoof and fit the shoe accui-ately, requires some care. 
"When the horn and metal are combined in this Avay, it is 
somewhat astonishing for how long a period a very light 
rim will sustain wear even on hard roads. 

I have not tried the shoe on the hind-feet, because I do 
not think it so well adapted for them ; as before mentioned, 
the front-feet only demand all our attention. 

WINTER SHOEING. 

In such a variable climate as ours, it is not an easy mat- 
ter to provide economically and successfully for the occur- 
rence of frost and snow during the winter months, so far as 
shoeing is concerned. . Some winters are so mild that there 
is no necessity for making any difference in the shoe, while 
others are so severe, and the I'oads are covered with ice for 
such a long period, that special a2~)pliances must be resorted 
to if the services of horses are to be made at all available. 

To be generally useful, these appliances must be cheap 
and simple. 

The quickest, cheapest, but at the same time least dura- 
ble of these, is the " frost-nail." This is nothing more than 
the ordinary horse-shoe nail, with its head flattened gradu- 
ally to a thin edge. Two or three of the nails are witli- 
di'awn from each side of the shoe, and replaced by the 
frost-nails. The heads may be flattened in difl'erent direc- 
tions, according to circumstances. Sometimes the heads ai-e 
of steel, when of course they are more lasting. For short 
journeys, frost-nails are xiseful and easily available ; but as 
they only last for a brief period, and as their frequent re- 
newal injures the hoof to some extent, they are only to be 



208 HORSE-SHOEING. 

used when the sevvices of the horse are not likely to be in 
gi-eat demand for any length of time, or when the frost 
promises to be very transient. They are best adapted for 
saddle and caniage-hoi'ses. To prevent injury to the hoof, 
and at the same time to obtain all the advantages of frost- 
nails, I have often, in the winter season, had extra holes 
punched in the shoes — one at the extremity of each heel, 
and one on each side of the toe. These nail-holes were large, 
and were stamped so obliquely outward that the frost-nails, 
when the occasion I'equired them, could be passed through 
them and lapped firmly over the edge of the shoe without 
interfering with the hoof. They may be made altogether of 
soft steel, the heads alone being tempered. I have found 
this plan most convenient and eifective, as the hoof and shoe 
are not disturbed, and the nails can be renewed as often as 
may be necessary. 

The usual plan is to remove the shoes from the hoofs and 
give them sharpened calkins, and it may be toe-pieces also 
sharp. This is not a good fashion if it has to be often i-e- 
peated, as the hoofs ai^e damaged by the frequent nailing, 
the hprses are apt to be lamed, and the shoes to become 
loose. It is for the time being, however, very efl'ective. 
"When the calks and toe-pieces are only made of iron, and if 
the ground be not covered with a sufficient layer of snow to 
protect them to some extent, they soon become blunted, and 
the shoes then require to be taken off and the process re- 
peated. To I'emedy this, if time permits, it is an excellent 
plan to weld in the calkin, or toe-piece, or, on the face of 
the shoe, apiece of steer(Figs. 24, 2-5 a), which, Avhensharj)- 
ened and tempered, lasts a very considei-able time. 

In sharpening the calkins, regard must be had to theii* 
situation — that on the outside heel may be flattened across 
the branch of the shoe (Fig. 26), but that on the inside 
must be drawn as much as possible from the outer margin 



HORSE-SHOEING. 



209 



of tlie branch (Fig. 27), in order to avoid treads and wounds 
to the 02)posite foot. 




IJjMt'J'iH:! 


"^^Hl 


i 


i 


.,„ i|i!ll:lfii:i|||liil|ll!ll|!i!!1'fi|i||ill!:iili!llll 



Fro. 24. 



Fig. 26. 



As a rule, it is better that toe-})ieces of the same lieiglit 
ns the calkins be used on all slices, to keep the foot and 
liiiil) from being injured. 

The Canadian shoe, made of steel, concave on the groiind- 
surface, with the concavity forming a sharp edge on the 




Fig. 20. 



Fig. 27. 



margin, is very useful when there is a thick layer of ice with 
snow. 

But perhaps the most Tiseful and expeditious method of 
niaking tlie horse useful on ice-covered roads is by theadoj)- 
tion of the screw studs. For these, each new shoe, at the 
commencement of the winter, has a circular hole ])unched! 
at the heels and another at the toe. This is screwed, and! 
into it is fitted, for ordinaiy wear, a flat-headed stud (Fig.. 
28), which is turned in with a wrench. These studs last, 
for some time, and preserve the shoe from wear. When 
woi'n nearly to the level of the shoe, they are removed and 
i-eplaced by new ones. Should frost set in suddenly, the flat- 
headed studs have oiily to be removed by the groom when 
the horse is required, and sharp steel ones su.bstituted. This, 
can be done in a few minutes. 



210 HORSE-SHOEING. 

• Tlie usual shape of tlie sharp stud is that of a wedge, the 
screwed portion being much smaller than that projecting be- 
yond the shoe. This is a faulty conformation, which leads 
to the stud frequently working itself loose and falling out, 
or breaking off at the neck, leaving the screwed portion in 
the shoe. 

For some years, I have remedied this defect by em- 
ploying steel frost-studs of a conical or ])yramidal shape, and 
having the ])ortion screwed into the shoe as thick as tliat 
projecting from it (Fig. 29). This ])attern is not at all lia- 
ble to turn round and fall out on meeting the ground ; while, 
being tlie same tliickness throughout, there is no check at 
the screw to weaken the stud ; consequently, it does not 
break if carefully forged and tempered. 





Fig. 28. Fig. 29. 

Of all the appliances designed to enable horses to 
travel safely on ice, without taking them to the forge, or 
reqiiii'ing the services of the farrier, none Iiave stood the 
test of trial so satisfactorily as this screw stud. I have 
experimented with all the recent inventions, but have 
found them either too complicated or expensive — not fit 
for sevei-e work, or else only adapted for shoes of one pat- 
tern. 

SHOEING OF DEFECTIVE LIMBS. 

Shoeing is a powerful auxiliary in the hands of a com})e- 
tent fai-rier for remedying the natural defects which are not 
imfrequently observed in the position of the limbs and feet 
of horses ; while with the scientific veterinary surgeon it is 



HORSE-SHOEING. 211 

no less a most potent aid in curing or })alliating certain mal- 
adies or deformities of a special character. 

Perliaj)S the most frequent defects the farrier has to con- 
tend with, are turning out or turning in the toe of the foot; 
both of which are not only unsightly, but are 2)roductive of 
more or less injury to the limb from the unequal manner in 
which some of its parts have then to sustain the weight of 
the body. 

To rectify the leg or foot when the toe turns outward, 
the hoof should be levelled as before described, the margin 
of the wall at the outside toe and back nearly to the quar- 
ter being well reduced and rounded. TJie clip is to be 
drawn up nearer to the inside than the middle of the toe ; 
the slioe to be fitted close to the outside and quarter, but 
the inside, from the quarter to the heel, should be more full 
than usual. In the course of sevei-al shoeings, by this re- 
duction of the wall at the outside of the hoof and the fit- 
ting of the shoe, a most noticeable improvement will be 
effected. 

When the toe is turned inward, precisely the reverse 
treatment must be followed ; the inside toe must he reduced, 
the clip of the shoe formed nearer the outside toe, and the 
shoe itself fitted close at the inside toe, but wide at the out- 
side. In both. cases the shoes ought to be of the same thick- 
ness throughout. 

" Cutting," or striking and wounding the inner side of 
the leg with the opposite foot, is sometimes a cause of much 
annoyance. It may be due to weakness, fatigue, or to a 
sudden change in the manner of shoeing ; in which cases it 
is only temporary. But it may also arise from malformed 
limbs or faidty action, and these defects may be so exagger- 
ated as to be scarcely, if at all, remedied by shoeing alone. 

The iisual part of the hoof with which the horse strikes 
the opposite limb, is the inside toe or quarter. WJjichever 



212 HORSE-SHOEING. 

of these regions it may be, the hoof must continue to be 
levelled at right angles to the direction of the pastern, and 
a shoe equally thick throughout applied, the only difference 
between it and the ordinary shoe being the removal of a 
portion of the iron from the margin at a point correspond- 
ing to the. portion that causes the injury to the opposite 
limb ; or the shoe, instead of being narrowed in the branch 
at this part, may be straightened, so as to lie within the 
hoof. ISTo nails are to be inserted here ; they may be placed 
in front of, and behind the striking portion — at the toe and 
heel. The hoof, after the application of the shoe, may then 
be i-educed at the quarter with the ras]), to diminish its con- 
vexity, and thus avert " cutting " or striking. 

The periplantar method of shoeing is well adapted for 
horses that " cut." 

Some horses have the awkward habit of lying like a cow 
with one or both fore-legs doubled up at the knee, and the 
elbow resting on the heel of the foot. Should the ordinary 
shoes be worn, it almost inevitably follows that the ends of 
the branches pressing upon the elbows will cause the form- 
ation of a large, unsightly tumor, which may in time become 
an abcess or ulcerate. The prevention of this is in the 
hands of the farrier, who has only to shorten and smoothly 
round the extremities of the shoe, so as to keep them within 
the hoof. Most frequently it is the inside heel, in which 
case a three-quarter shoe at once remedies the evil. 

GENEEAL MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE'S 
FOOT. 

After what has been said with regard to the management 
of the horse's foot in shoeing, there is but little to add con- 
cerning its general treatment ; as shoeing influences more 
or less, for good or for evil, the general condition of that 



HORSE-SHOEING. 213 

organ, and renders its ordinary management either a matter 
of miicli or trifling moment. 

Wlien it has been I'oljbed of its horn hy the farrier, and 
brought to such an artificial and abnormal state as "we have 
indicated, then its preservation in anything like a healthy 
or efficient condition is a matter of no small difficulty, 
and appears sometimes to demand very curious and often 
by no means reasonable ^jractices on the part of the 
groom. 

The most common are : applying to the face of the wall 
tar, oil, fish-oil, or advertised mixtures of various kinds to 
make the horn grow, prevent brittleness, cure diseases, etc.; 
and to the sole plates of leather, bolsters of tow steeped in 
tar, filthy applications of cow-dung, mud or clay, and other 
matters. 

It is scarcely necessary to say that to the unpared and un- 
rasped hoof these are not only unnecessary, but some of 
them even positively hurtful. Oil, for instance, not only 
renders the wall brittle, but loosens the nails ; while cow-dung, 
from the ammonia it contains, destroys the frogs. 

The unmutilated hoof is easily kept in health. All it re- 
quires is keeping cool, and moistening occasionally with cold 
water during hot Aveather or after severe exertion. When a 
journey has been long continued and sevei-e, the horse 
should not be immediately put into a stable, but ought to be 
walked gently about until the circulation of blood in the 
feet has had time to accommodate itself to the altered con- 
ditions of rest. By this means laminitis (inflammation of 
the feet) is averted. 

In washing the hoofs a water brush should not be employed , 
but a soft sponge, with a view to prevent the ti-anslucent 
horn on the front of the wall being destroyed. 

The sides and clefts of the frog may be cleaned out occa- 



214 HOUSE-SHOEING. 

sionally with a blunt picker, tliougli if sonnd this is scarcely 
required. 

ISTothing more is needed, so far as the eveiyday stable 
management of the foot is concerned, except to caution the 
groom against cutting away the hair immediately above the 
coronet, as this acts like a thatch in preserving the frog-baud 
at its commencement from the effects of perspiration and 
moisture. 

Much harm is done to horses' legs and feet by the some- 
what cruel custom of keeping them, while in the stable, con- 
stantly tied up in one position in stalls with sloping floors. 
This fashion is not only entirely opposed to the animal's 
natural habits — for the horse loves to move about and 
change his attitude — but the limbs and feet, more especially 
the front ones, are, instead of being rested, greatly fatigued : 
and this brings about alterations which may be none the less 
serious because they are not immediate in their efiects. 

A loose box, even if no larger than a stall, with a level 
floor, is infinitely preferable, and by all means to be com- 
niended to those who place some value on the soundness of 
body, eyesight, and limbs of their horses, as well as on their 
comfort. 

STREETS AND ROADS. 

The roads over which horses travel have also much influ- 
ence for good or evil on the condition of the feet and legs. 
In the majority of the towns and cities in Great Britain, it 
would most certainly appear that considerations for the 
safety, comfort, or efliciency of the thousands of horses in 
daily use were altogether lost sight of or neglected in con- 
structing the public thoroughfares. 

Masses of the hardest and closest-grained stone are laid 
down in most streets in such a fashion that they seem as if 
purposely designed to afford an insecure foothold, and pre- 



HORSE-SHOEING. 215 

vent the lioi-se's strength being profitably \itilized. These 
paved streets — -always a source of danger to the animals — 
while hindering them from emjiloying their force to the Ijest 
advantage, are also particularly injurious to the legs and feet, 
from the incessairt efforts made to maintain a footing. More 
especially is this the case in wet weather, when they are 
covered with greasy mud, and in summer when their dry, 
smooth surface becomes leaded. It is needless to say, that 
no kind of metal defence to the hoof will for many days in- 
sure a firm foot-hold on such roads ; and nothing but a 
metal defence has ever been found suitable to the horse's 
foot. 

Every device has been tried to meet the demands for 
traveling with safety on such paved streets, and none have 
proved successful. Nor is it at all likely that future in- 
ventions will meet these demands ; the basaltic or granitic 
surface, perfectly smooth, and offering a most insecui-e sur- 
face for fixing the foot .during movement, is not at all 
adapted for horse traffic. 

From the durability of these roads, they may be, to those 
who have to pay for their construction and maintenance, 
more economical than others on which horses can journey 
with ease and without risk of falling down; but they are far 
from being economical to those whose carriages and wagons 
traverse them. A portion of the horse's motive' power is 
devoted to maintaining his foothold, and the fear induced 
l)y this insecurity operates against what remains being ap- 
[tlied as profitably as it ought to be. So that less is gained 
in the economy of construction and durability, and in the 
easier traction of vehicles, than is lost in the injury done to 
the horse's extremities, and the waste of power required to 
maintain the equilibrium. 

Even more injurious to feet and limbs is the l):u-barous, 
slovenly, and stupid method prevailing in this countr}^ of 



216 HORSE-SHOEING. 

repairing macadamized roads— or what are intended for them 
— by depositing a heap of angular stones in a loose, i-ugged 
layer of nncertain depth, and compelling horses and car- 
riages to travel over them initil they are imbedded in a very 
irregular manner in the soil beneath them. Such a practice 
is not only extremely short-sighted on the part of those who 
make or repair roads in this manner — as these I'oads can 
neither be durable nor very serviceable — but also deserves 
the severest censure as most cruel and destructive to horses. 
Not only is the labor in drawing a carriage over such a sur- 
face immensely increased, and the horse's strength thereby 
expended, l)ut the unstable footing afibrded Ijy the loose 
masses of stone throws a great strain in every dii-ectioii 
upon the legs and feet, and iiot unfrequently the animal is 
thrown down, and gets seriously injured or blemished for 
life. 

If the hoofs chance to be pared and rasped according to 
the groom or farrier's " improved principles," then the con- 
sequences are greatly aggravated. 

Legislation should be appealed to, to put an end to such a 
disgraceful method of road-making or mending, which is 
only w-orthy of the most uncivilized country. 

The best mode of constructing and repairing our public 
thoroughfares and highways, with a view not only to econ- 
omy, but to the safety and comfort of horses, is a matter 
that deserves serious attention. 

Taken in connection with our subject, it is one that can- 
not be overlooked. We may preserve and defend the horse's 
foot to the best of oui- ability in our forges and stables, but 
if the roads over which he travels are not adapted to his 
eniployment, our exertioirs on his behalf can only be pai- 
tially successful. 



HORSE-SHOEING. 217 

INSTRUCTION OF FARRIERS. 

The foregoing instructions I'elative to shoeing are, in sub- 
stance, those wliich I have been in the habit, for sevei-al 
years, of laying before the farriers in the different regiments 
in which I have served, and Avith an amount of success' 
which amply i-ewarded me for the trouble I took to see that 
they were carried into i)ractice. Not only have my own 
duties been considerably lightened in the greatly diminished 
numlier of lame and unserviceal)le horses, but the labors of 
the farriers have been considerably abbreviated and simpli- 
lied, and by their being al)le to understand the reasons for 
acting as I desired, their intelligence was awakened, and 
they took an interest in carrying out my views. 

In our army this is not always the case. The subject of 
fari'iery is often looked upon much as it is in civil life — as a 
matter that concerns the farrier only, and tradition ami 
routine extensively prevail. In saying this, however, I do 
not intend for a moment to insinuate that the army veteri- 
nary surgeons ai"e averse to giving their attention to a most 
important, though it may appear a minor, part of their duty. 
On the contrary, many of them do so, and with the greatest 
advantage to the service; but tliere is not the same encour- 
agement offered either to veterinary surgeons or farriers in 
this respect as there is in Continental armies. In the 
French army, for instance, there are scliools and professors 
of farriery, the most notable of these being at the cavalry 
school of Saumur. In these, the farriers are regularly 
trained to a uniform and approved system before being 
jjosted to different regiments, and direct encouragement is 
given to these men by the institution of competitions, in 
which the most successful are I'ewarded by medals and gifts 
of money. 

But not only does the French Government bestow some 



218 HORSE-SHOEING. 

care in the advancement of farriery in the army; it also stim. 
ulates competition and impi-ovement among the civilian far- 
riers. So late as the 28th, 29th, and 30th of April last 
(1870) there was a concours of " marechalerie " at Valence, 
divided into two sections — a civil and military, presided 
over by two special juries composed of eminent veterinary 
surgeons and professors. 

At this concours not only were models of shoes and shod 
hoofs exhibited, but the fanners — civil and military — were 
tested in the various operations of farriery on the spot, hj 
shoeing saddle, carriage, and draught-horses, draught and 
pack-mules, and oxen. A large number of gold, silver, and 
bronze medals, as well as a considerable sum of money, were 
given away. 

These concours cannot but effect much good, by attracting 
attention to this very important subject, and encouraging 
good workmen. 

In Belgium there are also concours, and, if I remember 
aright, farriers who attend them receive instruction from 
properly-qualified veterinary surgeons, who are avithorized 
to grant certificates of jjroficiency. 

In both countries, as well as in Germany, the students at 
the veterinary schools are taught tlie principles and practice 
of shoeing, and this instruction is of great value to them in 
after-life. 

It is scarcely necessary to say that in this country noth- 
ing of the kind is attempted. 

The Government does nothing to improve or encourage 
veterinary science in any way ; hence the low state of this 
important branch of medicine and rural economy in Brit- 
ain, and hence the enormous losses she has sustained for so 
many years. Hence, also, the degraded and barbarous con- 
dition of farriery, even in our cities and towns. With the 
exception of, on very rare occasions, the distribution of a 



HORSE-SHOEING. 219 

prize or two at some local agricultural show to farriers, who 
imagine that paring and rasping, and a fantastically- wrought 
piece of iron, constitute the acme of shoeing, the subject is 
thought unworthy of notice. Even at the veterinary schools, 
during my matriculation, it was dismissed in a brief lectui-e 
of an hour, and then pathological shoeing was chiefly re- 
ferred to. Nothing of the principles or pi-actice was ever 
taitght. 

When the Veterinary Colleges are so indifferent to a mat- 
ter so closely i-elated to the comfort and efficiency of the 
horse, we cannot wonder that veterinary surgeons, as a rule, 
and farriers, take l)ut little interest in shoeing. 

The remedy for this, of course, should be, in the first 
place, applied to the teaching-schools. The anatomy and 
physiology of the horse's foot, its management in health and 
disease, and the principles and practice of shoeing, ought to 
be thoroughly inculcated. 

It would be most advantageous if, when this course was 
adopted, farriers could l)e prevailed upon to attend, and, after 
due examination as to their competency to jn-actice their art 
in a rational manner, they wei-e to I'eceive certificates of 
proficiency as in Belgium — these certificates carrying with 
them similar advantages to those that the diploma of sur- 
gery confers upon the surgeon. 

In default of this, veterinaiy surgeons pi-operly qualified 
for the duty, and possessing the necessary convenience and 
opportunity, might be induced to receive and instruct ap- 
prentices in farriery, granting them authorized certificates 
when judged to be fit to practice the art. 

Agricultural meetings should also l^e made the means of 
instructing farriers in shoeing, and of stimulating competi- 
tion in the districts in which they are held. Of coui'se it is 
a sine qitd non that the instructors and judges should them- 
selves understand the subject thoroughly. 



220 HORSE-SHOEING. 

These are tlie only means by wliich, I believe, the art of 
fari'iery can be improved in this country, where nearly all 
improvement is left to private enterprise. A profound 
knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the horse's 
foot is not absolutely necessary to the farrier. What I 
have sketched out on these subjects in this essay, I have 
generally found sufficient to enable my farriers to compre- 
hend the character of the organ they were called upon to 
protect and preserve, and this much was easily taught them 
in a short time. I have always had more difficulty in mak- 
ing them unlearn their unreasonable practices than acquir- 
ing those which were novel, though easier ; and my chief 
antagonists in all improvements have been the ignorant 
grooms and coachmen — the lovers of well-pared and rasped 
hoofs, oiled or blacked like a boot ; hot stables ; physic ; 
bearing-reins ; blinkers ; cruppers ; powerful bits ; and ev- 
erything, in fact, unnatural and injurious to the horse. 



CONCLUDING EEMARKS ON SHOEING. 

Notwithstanding that we have given a long and vahiable 
essay on the shoeing of horses, and have had something to 
say about them going barefooted, we still have something 
more to say on this subject. 

There is more damage done to horses from shoeing than 
by letting them go without shoes ; and we would have the 
reader to understand that we are speaking from experience, 
and not theory. We have handled hundreds of wild horses, 
of all ages, that never had a shoe on their feet, and we never 
have seen one lame, because the sole, frog and wall sus- 
tained a certain portion of the weight ; but when the shoe 
is put on in the old way, having it bear on the wall 
only, the sole and frog are not allowed to come in contact 
with the ground, so that they have no labor to perform, and 
Avill soon become dormant and diseased. 

If a hoi'se that has been shod for years in this way loses 
his shoe, and is compelled to walk on the frog and sole, he 
will get lame very soon, from the fact that the portion of 
his foot that has been idle many years is brought into use. 
The wall is diseased also to a considerable extent, and will 
break off easily, thus letting the sensitive laminae of the foot 
come in contact with the ground, causing instant lameness. 
We will give you an illustration : Suppose you should place 
your arm in a sling and tie it to your body for six months, 
without using it at all, and then take it out, attempting to 
u^e it. Do you suppose you could use it like the one that 
has been in exercise all the time 1 Most assuredly not. 

By the same principle, it will disable the horse to liavo 
his weight come on the sole and frog of his foot after being 
idle for years, by being shod in the manner we have men- 
tioned. The frog that is kept oft' the ground l)y this method 



222 HOUSE-SHOEING. 

of shoeing, without ever having the pressure that nature in- 
tended should come on it, will become unable to sustain the 
horse's weight when the shoe is taken off. 

So while we would advise the abolition of shoeing as far 
as possible, we have too much knowledge of the horse's 
foot to advise it in every case. There are some horses that 
have been shod so long that their feet are in such a horri- 
ble condition that it would not do at all. But there is no 
danger of driving or working a colt, even on hard roads, 
without shoes, provided the wear of the wall of the foot is 
not greater than the growth. 

I have driven colts over hai-d roads and pavements for 
many months at a time, and they never gave any evidence 
of lameness. But if those colts had been shod for a year or 
two, in the faulty manner described, and then had their 
shoes taken off, they would have become lame in a very 
short time. 

If the colt must be shod, we would advise the use of the 
shoe illustrated on the first page of the essay on horse-shoe- 
ing. If this shoe is properly adjusted and fitted, we are sat- 
isfied the foot will never become diseased from shoeing, be- 
cause it comes nearer to nature, and it is impossible to 
improve on nature. 

We will now have a word to say to the farrier or smith : 
When horses are brought to them that ai"e mischievous and 
bad to shoe, and they haA^e to bi-eak the horse to stand cpiiet 
as well as to fit the shoes, we would advise them to charge 
the owner for breaking the horse as well as for shoeing, for 
we consider it an imposition on the blacksmith to bring him 
such horses to be shod. Time is money to the blacksmith 
as well as to the owner of the horse. However, if it is 
necessary to break the horse to stand quiet while being shod, 
it is only a matter of a few minutes to break him. 

Fix him in the same position and handle him all over and 



HORSE-SHOEING. 223 

about the legs with the pole, as directed in tlie lesson for 
breaking the colt. When he submits to being handled all 
over with the pole, and before untying his head from his 
tail, pick up his leg, and if he should kick, give him a little 
more whirling round, which will make him giddy and will 
finally conquer him. 

When ti'aveling through Pennsylvania, I came across a 
horse that was considered impossible to shoe while standing 
on his feet. 

The only way this horse could be shod was by throwing 
him down and strapping him. All the known methods of 
subduing the horse had been resorted to, in a vain endeavor 
to quiet and subdue him so he coidd be shod. I was ap- 
proached by the owner and asked if I could break him to be 
shod. I answered " Yes." He then offered to pay me $25 
to break him so two shoes could be placed on his hind feet. 
This happened just before the hour for the assembling of my 
class. 

Immediately after my class met, I asked several of them 
if they thought the owner of this horse would pay me the 
amount he had promised, in case I succeeded in the under- 
taking, to which they replied, " We think he will." 

Then I invited the owner to bring in his horse, which he 
did, and in less than fifteen minutes the blacksmith had one 
shoe on, at which the owner remarked: 

" There's twelve dollars and a half gone to the devil." 

I don't know whether he meant I was the devil, or 
whether he thought he was foolisli for making me the prop- 
osition to pay $25 for putting on two shoes. I soon had 
the other shoe on and he paid me the $25, for which I 
thanked him and proceeded with the lesson. 

We have found many horses fully as hard to shoe as the 
one we have mentioned, but never have we been as well 
paid as we were for this particular one, which was at the 
rate of $50 a set, and second-hand shoes at that ! 



224 HORSE-SHOEING. 

Our experience with l^lacksmitlis during our travels has 
been that most of them oppose any new ideas that may be 
advanced concerning the paring and preparing of the horse's 
foot for the application of the shoe, especially if not in ac- 
cordance with the manner in which they have been tanght ; 
they also oppose the use of any shoe that is foreign to their 
ideas, and we expect many good blacksmiths and numerous 
horsemen will opposea some of the ideas advanced in this 
book. The reader will bear in mind, that at one time it was 
the belief, both among the scientific -and th3 uninformed, 
that the earth was flat, and that the sun i-ose in the morn- 
ing, passing over the earth during the day and under it at 
night, making its appearance again next morning in the 
East, thus causing us to have night and day. This was 
unquestionably Joshua's idea when he commanded the snn 
to stand still. 

When Galileo advanced the idea, in the year 1633, that 
the earth was round, and that it revolved on its own axis 
every twenty-tour hours, and thus gave us the night and the 
day, and not the sun passing over the earth, he was obliged 
to read his recantation in the church of Santa Maria Sopra 
Minerva, and then received his sentence. He was con- 
demned, as " veliemently suspected of heresy," to incarcera- 
tion at the pleasure of the tribunal, and by way of penance, 
was enjoined to recite once a Aveek the seven Penitential 
Psalms. Finally, he was given some freedom, but event- 
nally died after spending the last eight years of his life in 
the strict retirement which was the prescribed condition of 
his comparative freedom. 

But in these enlightened days every one, both the scien- 
tific and the unscientific, believe as did Galileo, that the 
earth is round and revolves on its own axis, and is not sta- 
tionary while the sun passes over it. Nevertheless, peo- 
ple still continue to condemn all new theories and meth- 



PURCHASING A HORSE. 22d 

ocis they do not understand; consequently we anticipate no 
little criticism on some of the ideas presented in this work. 

Course to he pursued in Purchasing a Horse. 

First— Examine the eyes, in the stable, then in the light ; 
if they are in any degree defective, reject. Second — Exam- 
ine the teeth to determine the age. Third — -Examine the 
poll, or crown of the head, and the withers, or top of the 
shoulders, as the former is the seat of poll-evil, and the 
latter that of fistula. Fourth — Examine the front feet, and 
if the frog has fallen, or settled down between the heels of 
the shoe, and the heels are contracted, reject him ; as he, if 
not already lame, is liable to become so at any moment. 

Next observe the knees and ankles of the horse you de- 
sire to purchase, and if cocked, you may be sure that it is 
the result of the displacement of the internal organs of the 
foot, a consequence of neglect of the form of the foot, and 
injudicious shoeing. If these defects are still incipient, and 
the owner will make a liberal deduction in the price on this 
account, you may ventiire to purchase, as this may readily 
be corrected by the use of a shoe that will expand the hoof. 
Fifth — Examine for interfering, from the ankle to the 
knees, and if it proves that he cuts the knee, or the leg- 
between the knee and the ankle, or the latter badly, rejects 

" Speedy cuts " of the knee and leg are most serious \xk 
their effects. 

Many trotting horses, which Avould be of great value 
were it not for this single defect, are by it rendered value- 
less. 

Six — Cai-efully examine the hoofs for ci'acks, as jockeys 
have acquired great skill in concealing them. 

If cracks are observable in any degree, reject. 

Also, both look and feel for ringbones, which are cal- 
louses on the bones of the pastern near the foot.. If appa-. 
rent, reject. 



226 PURCHASING A HOKSE. 

Seven — Examine the hind feet for the same defects of the 
foot and ankle that we have named in connection with the 
front foot. Then proceed to the hock, which is the seat of 
cui^b, and both bone and blood spavins. 

The former is a bony enlargement of the posterior and 
lower portion of the hock -joint ; the second, a bony excres- 
cence on the lower, inner, and rather anterior portion of the 
hock, and the latter is a soft enlargement of the synovial 
membrane on the inner and upper portion of the back. 
Tasy are either of them sufficient reason for rejecting. 



PROMISCUOUS RECIPES. 



Sore Tongue, 
Is relieved by washing with strong alum-water. 

Liquid Blister. 
Take 1 pint alcohol, | pint tur])entine, 4 oz. ammonia, 4 
oz. oil oi'iganum, 1 oz. naptha. Apply this with sponge every 
three hours until you feel the skin thicken. 
Blistering Paste. 
Take 4 oz. pulverized cantharides, 2 oz. turpentine, 2 oz. 
English rosin, 2 oz. beeswax ; melt all together over a slow 
fire until dissolved. Rub it on well with the fingers. 
Cough Powder. 
Ginger, fenugreek, licorice, blood-root, equal parts. Half 
propoi'tion lobelia and camphor may be added. 

Dose — Tablespoonful twice a day. For Heaves, add 
moi'e camphor. 

Cough Cure. 

Resin 2 oz. 

Bloodroot 1 oz. 

Tartar Emetic 1 oz. 

Ginger 2 oz. 

Salts of Tai-tar 2 oz. 

Mix and give teaspoonful three times a day in the feed. 

Cough Remedy. 
' Put all the tar into alcohol it will cut, and add one-third 
quantity tincture belladonna. 

Dose : From one to two teaspoonfuls once or twice a day. 
It is a splendid remedy. 



228 PROMISCUOUS RECIPES. 

Laxative Alterative Balls. 

Soft Soap 4 oz. 

Common Moss 24 oz. 

Aloes 4 oz. 

Dose : 1 oz. 

Diuretic Alterative Balls. 

Eesin 2 oz. 

Licorice Powder 2 oz. 

Castile Soap 6 drams. 

Dried Common Soda 1 oz. 

Barbadoes Tar to form 6 balls. 

Give one daily. 

Tonic Ball (Vegetable Tonic). 

Opium . .^ di'am. 

Ginger l^ dram. 

Peruvian Bark 1 oz. 

Oil of Caraway 20 drops. 

Treacle to form a ball. 

Cooling and Diuretic Drinh. 
One ounce of nitre dissolved in a pail of water. 

Aromatic Poioder. 

Licorice 2 oz. 

Ginger ................................ 2 oz. 

Caraway 6 oz. 

Pimento 4 oz. 

Mix. Dose : 6 to 8 drams. 

Cordial and Anodyne Ball. 

Camphor 2 drams. 

Ginger 1-| drams. 

Castile Soap 3 drams. 

Venice Turpentine 6 drams. 

Make into 1 ball. 



PROMISCUOUS RECIPES. 229 

Diabetes Remedy. 

Ginger 2 drams. 

Oak Bark, p , . 1 oz. 

Opium 1 dram. 

Decoction of Oak Bark 1 phit. 

Tonic Diuretic Ball. 

Nitre ^ oz. 

Sulphate of Iron 2 drams. 

Gentian 1 dram. 

Resin i oz. 

Ginger ^ drams. 

Mix with molasses. 

Fever Balls. 

Ginger 3 drams. 

Emetic Tai'tar | dram. 

Nitre 2 drams. 

Camphor ^ dram. 

Mix in ball. 

Diuretic Balls. 

Make the following into six balls, and give one every 
morning or everj other morning : 

Camphor 3 drams. 

Oil of Juniper 3 drams. 

Resin 3 oz. 

Nitre 3 oz. 

White Soap 8 oz. 

Another — 

Equal parts of Besin, Soap and Nitre, beaten together 
into a mass. 

Dose; 1 oz. to 1^ oz. 



230 PROMISCUOUS RECIPES. 

Mixed Balls, Cordial Astri7igent Balls. 
Cateclin, 1 dram; opium, 10 grains. To wash horses be- 
fore or after a journey. 

For the Appetite. 
Take equal parts of aloes, bayberries, assafoetida and saf- 
fron; make into a mass with extract of gentian. Dose, 1 oz. 

Cordial Balls. 
No. 1 — Gentian and ginger, equal pai-ts. 
Treacle to form a mass. 
Dose — 1 oz. to 1|^ oz. 

No. 2 — Caraway and ginger each 4 Bbs. 

Palm-oil , 4^ Bbs. 

Gentian IK). 

Beat together. Dose — 1 oz. to 1| oz. 

Anodyne Ball. 

Camphor . 1 dram. 

Anise-seed J oz. 

Opium i to 1 dram. 

Soften with Ext. of Liquorice. 

Anodyne Drenches. 
No. 1 — One dram opium, dissolved, ^ pint water; add 
one quart starch gruel. 

No. 2 — Mix sweet spirits of nitre, 1|- oz., with tincture of 
opium, 1 oz., ess. peppermint, 1 dram, and water, 1 pint. 

A Splendid Liniment. 

Oil wormword . 1 oz. 

Oil sassafras 1 oz. 

Oil origanum ..............*.... 1 oz. 

Oil juniper 1 oz. 



PROMISCUOUS RECIPES. 231 

Oil spruce 1 oz. 

Oil chloroform ; 1 oz. 

Aqua 1 oz. 

Ammonia . 1 oz. 

Tr. iodine 2 oz. 

Alcohol 2 pints. 

Gum camphor 2 oz. 

The above liniment can be used for any sprain-swelling of 
the legs of a horse. 

Condition Powders. 

Cream of tartar 16 oz. 

Powdered gentian root 8 oz. 

Sulphur 32 oz. 

Saltpetre 4 oz. 

Powdered rosin 16 oz. 

Black antimony 4 oz. 

Powdered ginger 12 oz. 

Powdered elm-bark 16 oz. 

Powdered fenugreek seed 1 7 oz. 

Powdered aniseseed 8 oz. 

Two to six tablespoonfuls to be given moi'ning and even- 
ing. A general alterative for hide-bound, etc. 

Condition Powders. 

Sulphur 10 a. 

Saltpetre 10 lb. 

Powdered fenugreek Seed 5 Bb. 

" Licorice Root 5 Bb. 

" Anise Seed 5 Bb. 

Cream Tai^tar 2 lb. 

Pulverized Squills 1 Bb. 

Tartar Emetic 1 oz. 

Dose — 1 to 3 tablespoonfuls 3 times a day. 

An excellent remedy when there is cough and fevex*. 



232 PROMISCUOUS RECIPES. 

Hoof Ointment for Cows and Horses, to Soften and Heal 
Hoofs and Cows' Teats. 

Beef Suet | R). 

Beeswax 4 ft*. 

Honey ;| lb. 

Fine Tar 1 pint. 

Whale Oil 1 pint. 

This ointment has been used extensively throughout the 
United States, with uniform success. 

Recipe to Soften the Horse's Foot. 
Apply a poultice of 2 qts. linseed meal, 2 qts. rye meal, 
1 pt. salt, I pt. tar.' 

Cooling Lotion. 
One pt. of vinegar, 1 pt. alcohol, 1 pt. water, and ^ pt. 

of salt. 

The Use of the Hook. 

The hook used for cleaning the soles of the feet is a com- 
mon appendage of the stables in many districts, especially 
in New York and New England, and nowhere have we 
found feet in such a hori'id condition. The sole of the 
foot of the wild horse, as also those of the domesticated in 
the pasture, we generally find well stuffed with soil, tilling 
all the depressions in it, and no one ever saw any evil 
effects from this natural stuifing. 

But little sagacity is requisite to enable us to learn a 
most valuable lesson, by observing the natural cause and 
effect of natural stuffing on the feet. If we had a stud of 
a thousand horses, we would not allow a foot-hook in the 
stable. Snow-balls should be jarred out of the feet, but 
natural clay packing is useful ; hence it should not be re- 
moved. Anything that excludes the air from the foot of 
the horse is useful, and it is to this effect that we attribute 
such imprecedented success in the use of our hoof preparatio.i. 



HOW TO TEACH HOKSES TRICKS. 



. We will next illustrate the methods of teaching the horse 
to lie clown, etc., as ])racticed by circus-men for hundreds of 
years. This method is'the same as used Ijy Denton, OfFett, 
E,arey, and others engaged in the business of taming horses. 
They all gained a great I'eputation as horse-tamers in con- 
secfuence of these supposed new methods. We will first ex- 
plain how to apply the straps. 




Take a good strong strap, about fifteen oi- eighteen inches 
long, such as used for a breech ing-strap, with a slip-loop on 
it. Put the strap around the pastcrn-joint on the near fore 



234 



HOW TO TEACH HORSES TRICKS. 



leg, and buckle his foot to the arm as shown in the cnt, then 
place a strong girth around his body. Fasten a small strap 
around the off fore-foot — run it between the horse's body and 
the girth (see cut). Take hold of your bridle-rein with your 
left hand, and the strap that is fastened to the off foot with 
the right hand ; give him a push with your right shoulder, 
at the same time pulling up the off foot, holding the strap 
with the right hand firmly ; this will bring him on his 
knees. Hold him steadily, and in a few moments he will 
lie down ; pull his head around to the off side so as to bring 
the horse down on his near side [see cut], and when he comes 




down on his side, bring his head up to his off shoulder and 
hold him in this way until he gives up, and treat him kindly. 
Then unbuckle the strap from the near foot and say " get 
up." Of course he will not understand what this means. 
Urge him a little, so he will understand wliat you mean. Make 
him lay down again, repeating the operation of getting him 
i;p and down a number of times, or until he will lie down 
readily when you pull on the strap. To dispense with the 
strap on the off foot, take a small whip and touch him on 
the off foot before you pull on the strap, and as he moves 
his foot pull up on the strap. In a short time he will come 
down on his knees without pulling on the strap, by touching 



HOW TO TEACH A HORSE TRICKS. 235 

liim with the whip on tlie front leg below the knee, and in 
this way you can dispense with the strap on the oft' foot 
altogether. 

When yoii touch the horse with the whip on the front 
leg he will get down on his knees ; should he attempt to 
get up, tap him on the front leg and he will soon learn to 
lie down at the motion of the whip. Do not work on him 
too long at one lesson. 

You should select a nice, soft place in which to put him 
through this exercise, or his knee-caps may become sore. 
Pads are useful for the protection of his knees. 

After your horse has been taught to lie down, you can 
begin to teach him to sit up, by putting a good strong strap 
around his neck ; at that part where the collar is placed 
have two strong straps, made with rings on them. Buckle 
the straps ai'ound his hind legs, at the fetlock joint. Have 
them covered with sheep-skin, with the avooI next to his 
hide, to prevent his ankles from being galled. 

Avoid using anything that has a tendency to hurt or scar 
him. Then take a stout rope, double it and fasten the 
doubled end to the strap around his neck ; take the two 
ends and run them through the rings in the strap on the 
hind legs, bringing them back to the strap on the neck. 
Draw his feet forward ; take hold of the bridle-rein ; step 
back and say to him "sit up." When he puts his front 
feet forward he cannot get his hind legs in the right posi- 
tion to get all the way up, consequently he remains in a 
sitting posture. Steady him while in this position with 
the i-eins. 

Rub and cai-ess him a few minutes while in this position. 
Then untie the ropes that are fastened to the strap around 
his neck. 

These ropes should be tied in a knot that will enable you 
to loosen them both at the same moment. Repeat those 



236 HOW TO TEACH A HORSE TRICKS. 

instructions witli yonr horse a few times, and lie will soon 
learn to lie down and sit %ip at command. 

Now proceed to teach the horse to follow you all around 
the training-yard. This you can do by taking a stage or 
four-horse whip, long enough to reach him at any part of 
the yard, saying to him, " covue here" 

He will not understand the meaning of your words, and 
to help him to understand, keep snajjping him with the 
whip well down on his hind legs, until he turns his head 
toward you. This he will do in his endeavor to get away 
from the whip. When he has turned his head toward you, 
hold out your left hand ; step slowly toward him, and should 
he wheel around, snap your whip at him as before until he 
faces and approaches you. 

Repeat this a few times, and he will follow you all over 
the place. 

This is the true principle of teaching all dumb brutes — 
tx-eat them roughly when they disobey and kindly when 
obedient. Reward your horse with something he likes when 
he does as you wish him to, and i-emember al ways to use but 
one command to signify a certain act. 

By this whip-training you can not only make your tame 
and gentle horse come to you, but also the wild, unbroken 
colt or horse. This is a good plan to teach any horse to 
come to you when you want him. 

Your horse is now trained to come to you when called; 
to lie down; sit up, and to follow you about the yard. Next 
proceed to teach him to pick up your glove, whip, hat, or 
anything you wish. 

There are two ways to accomplish this: one is, to take a 
small sack containing oats or corn, and throw it down in 
front of him. He will get it in between his teeth and 
commence to get out the oats or corn. When he picks it 
up, take the sack from him and again throw it down 



HOW TO TEACH A HORSE TRICKS. 237 

before liim, and when he again picks it up, take it away 
from him, and repeat this treatment for some time. 

Eveiy time yoii throw down the sack, say to him, "Pick 
it iqy, sir/" 

In the course of a little time he will get so he will pick 
up anything at your word of command. 

Another way is to pi'ick him with a pin on the off side. 
This you can do by taking a position on the near side, and 
reaching OA-er with the right hand, holding the pin and 
handkerchief in it, and, in trying to remove the pin, he will 
get hold of the handkerchief. 

Every time he takes the cloth or handkerchief from your 
hand pet and encourage him to do it again. He will soon 
take it from any place you may put it. 

To Teach the Horse to Make a Boio. 

To teach the horse to answer in tlie affirmative, take a 
pin in your right hand, stand on his near side, a little for- 
ward of the shoulder, and prick him slightly on the breast. 
He will naturally put his head down to bite off whatever 
causes the pricking, and when he does this, take your hand 
away and ti^eat him kindly. 

He will soon learn that when you touch him on the breast 
you want him to lower his head and make a bow. Every 
time you prick him with the pin on the breast, as you see 
him putting down his head, move the toe of your right foot 
forward and he will soon put his head down every time you 
move your right foot. 

This will not be noticed by the spectators, and will make 
your horse appear wonderfully smart and intelligent, by 
bowing or answering questions, either in the affirmative or 
negative, every time you wish him. 

To Teach the Horse to Shake his Head tohoi Required. 
To get your horse to answer in the negative, stand on his 



238 HOW TO TEACH A HORSE TRICKS. 

near side, prick him with the pin on his neck a little above 
the withers ; as soon as he moves his head in the least, take 
your hand away and treat him kindly as before. After re- 
peating this a few times he will shake his head every time 
you touch him on the neck. 

Then you can take a pin and fasten it in the butt end of 
your whip-handle, and touch him lightly on the neck with 
the pin. Every time he shakes his head take away the 
whip and pet him. By this treatment he will in a little 
while get so he will answer any question you may ask him. 

To illustrate the system of taking advantage of the horse, 
we will give the following example : 

You have now taught your horse to answer questions in 
the affirmative and negative. Take your whip in your i-ight 
hand and say to your horse : 

" Do you like this whip 1" 

Then raise it up and touch him lightly on the neck, being 
careful not to raise the whip before you ask the question, or 
he will shake his head befoi-e you get through with the 
question ; but always ask the question before you make any 
motion. And when you make the motion, he will shake his 
head. Then ask him : 

" Do you like your oats T 

And make a motion with your foot, by which sign he will 
know you want him to bow, or answer in the affirmative. 
By the horse doing these things well and promptly, he will 
appear like a very intelligent animal. 

When traveling in the South, on one occasion, I took a 
horse into the woods to train him to get on a large stump 
that stood in a clearing. 

While engaged with the horse, a colored boy came along, 
and stood some distance away watching me handle the horse. 

I disliked to have the boy watching me, so I said to the 
horse in a loud tone ; 



HOW TO TEACH A HORSE TRICKS. 239 

" Do you see that colored boy standing over there]" The 
horse bowed, signifying that he did. I then asked him if 
he thought he coukl catch the boy, and lie replied by bow- . 
ing that he could. Then I said to him : 

" If he does not leave, will you go and bring him to me T 
The horse answered in the affirmative. 

This was too mucli for the boy, who immediately took to 
his heels and ran for dear life, probably thinking that the 
horse would surely catch him, as he had answered all ques- 
tions relative to himself. 

At another time, while in Acamack County, Va., I went 
out one morning to see how my horse Tom was Ijeing cared 
for, as I suspected that he was not fed as I wished. On en- 
tering the stable I said : 

"Did you have a plenty of corn this morning'?" and he 
quickly shook his head as much as to say " No." 

The colored stable-boy stood near and heard me question 
the horse. He looked first at the horse then at me, and 
said : 

'' Look here, massa, dat ar horse ain't telling de truff." 

" Well," I replied, " you give him about four ears of 
corn, and if he refuses to eat them, I will know he did iiot 
tell the truth, but I have never known that horse to tell a 
lie." 

The boy went off, and soon returned with four ears of 
corn, which he gave to the horse. Of course, he Ijegan 
eating the corn, at which the boy remarked : 

" Dat ar hoss am de smartest what dis 'fisticated young 
nigger eber seed in he life." 

Now, as you have taught your horse to lie down, sit up, 
come to you when you call him, pick up any designated 
article, answer questions, follow you about, etc., you are 
])re])ared to go on and teach him other tricks, by the experi- 
ence and methods employed for the above-mentioned tricks. 



240 HOW TO TEACH A HORSE TRICKS. 

There is liaixUy a limit to wliicli these perfoi'mances can be 
carried. You can say to your horse : '.' Will you take the 
lianclkerchief from your front foot," and at the same time 
make a sign to him with your foot and he will bow. 

Then tie the handkerchief on his front foot, in such a 
way as to be easily pulled off 1)y the horse, leaving a corner 
of it handy for him to get hold of, and so on, until he will 
get the pocket-handkerchief from any place you may leave 
it. 

Now, get a large box or platform, and get him up on it 
with his forward feet. First get one of his feet on, then 
get him to step up with the other — doing this a few times — 
after which he will get up at the command. 

Next, make him get up on the box with all four feet, and 
gradually lessen the size of the box until he will get on a 
box not more than two feet across. Have the box larger 
on the bottom than at the top, so it will not upset and 
frighten him. 

Then begin to teach him to walk around with his front 
feet on the box or pedestal and his liind feet on the ground; 
then jnake him get upon the box and get down with his 
front feet, keeping his hind feet on the box, and make him 
walk around the box on his front feet; then you can put the 
handkerchief up on a pole, making him climb up on the box 
with his front feet and reach to where the handkerchief is 
and bring it down. 

Next, you can make him shoot a pistol by putting the 
handkerchief on the triggei-. At first you should be careful 
not to frighten him by the report of the pistol. You can 
teach a horse almost anything you wish. 

Begin now to teach him to paw by touching him lightly 
on the near forward leg with a pin. Then make a pile of 
dirt in front of him and get him to paw it down. You can 
then take your handkerchief and bury it in the pile of dirt; 



HOW TO TEACH A HORSE TRICKS. 241 

then ask him if he could find the handkerchief if yon should 
hide it, and give him the sign to make a bow, and he will 
bow, signifying yes. Have some one cover his eyes while 
you hide the handkerchief in the pile of dirt or sawdust. 
When his eyes are uncovered, let him run around the ring 
a few times, and when you stop him, see that he stops 
where he can paw the dirt covering the handkerchief. As 
soon as he sees the handkerchief he will pick it up. 

Then you can change these tricks to suit your notion. At 
first you make signs to him and use a diff'erent word for each 
trick, and as you find the horse will do it without the mo- 
tion, you can dispense with the sign and use the woixl only. 
When you first made him lie down you had to strap his 
feet up, bub in a short time he would lie down by sinajjly 
touching him on the front legs, and after awhile he would 
do it by only saying, '* lie down, sir," or by the tap of a bell. 
Observe the street-car horse. He stops for one tap of the 
bell, and starts for two. The Fire Department horses go to 
their places by the tap of the bell ; and if you wish you can 
have your horse pei'form by taps of the bell. 

In this way you drop the sign as soon as you can. People 
who do not understand how a horse is taught, think because 
he performs these tricks that he has more sense than other 
horses. You can take any old plug and teach him to perform 
tricks. 

When men are selecting a horse to train they generally 
get one of fine appearance and high-spirited, as they are the 
best for the purpose. 

The first trick horse I had was a runaway hoi'se I bought 
for almost nothing. The fourth one, " White Hawk," was- 
a four-year-old colt, and very stylish, that had never been 
worked. I paid four hundred dollars for liira. I kept him 
for one year, and then sold him to Mr. Skinner, of Ohio, 
for one thousand dollai's ; he is now traveling with, a circus.. 



242 HOW TO TEACH A HORSE TRICKS. 

He would lie down, roll over and back again, walk on his 
knees, slioot a pistol, take the handkerchief off of either foot 
you would tie it to, or off of his back, and find it when hid- 
den in the ring ; pick up your hat, glove or whip and hand 
it to you, or any other person you might direct him to. 

In fact, you could drill him like a soldier. He wovild ad- 
vance, retreat, wheel to the I'ight or left, gallop, trot, walk, 
perform on the pedestal and put his front foot on my head 
(as represented on the cover of this book). 

By following closely the instructions here presented for 
the training of trick horses, you can teach a horse to per- 
form all the tricks mentioned, and many more, such as 
ringing a bell, untying knots, holding your overcoat for you 
in his teeth, and helping you to put it on. Let some one 
tie your hands and have your horse untie them, or any other 
trick that will amuse, such as kissing you, .shaking hands, 
answering a thousand questions. And if you wish, you 
can train two, and have them teeter on a plank, dance on a 
platfoiTB, waltz, jump through hoops of fire, and you can 
also teach them so that one Avill stop for the woi-d that 
■will make the other go, and go for the word that will stop 
him, and have one to lie down when you say get up, and 
get lip when you say lie down. In this way you can make 
two horses perform at the same time, or have it appear that 
one of yovir horses is very stubborn, and in this way you 
can spend many hours with your horses. Be patient, per- 
severing and good natured. Never allow yourself to get 
angry with your horse. If you find you are getting out of 
humor stop and x-est for one or two hours, and it will be 
better for you and much better for your horse. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 



Tlie dog is the most domestic of all animals, and is a very- 
agreeable companion and willing servant to man. If he is 
abused and ill-treated, he will be likely to become a nuisance. 
He is so close a companion of mankind, that it becomes a 
very important duty of his master to understand how to 
train and educate him properly. If he is well and skill- 
fully trained he will reflect great credit upon his master, 
and become an agreeable mem]>er of his household as well 
as a useful assistant. There are various kinds of dogs and 
various methods of training them; of course I will not nij- 
dei'take in this work (being devoted principally to the 
horse), to describe more than a few of the varieties of dogs — 
those only that are best known — and neither can I devote 
much space to their training, only giving the rules by which a 
person with patience, perseverance, firmness and kindness 
can train the dog to perform various useful and pleasing 
tricks. We will give a sufficient number to lead the opera- 
tor to the teaching of many more. Of course the dog is 
as varied in his dispositions and temperaments as there are 
different kinds of dogs. 

I will here mention, by way of illusti'ation, that the 
bloodhound will follow the trail of man or beast for miles, 
over all kinds of ground and almost under all circumstances, 
even many hours after the object of his search has taken his 
depai'ture, and successfully find him by the scent alone. 
His sense of smell is so highly developed, naturally, that he 
'req[uires no training whatever to teach him to accomplish 



MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 



245 



this, for he is simply following the natural instinct of his 
nature. But it will take considerable training to bring him 
under proper subjection, as his nature and disposition incline 
him to rebel against anything that savors of curbing or con- 
trolling his impetuous and obstinate inclinations. For this 
reason, the ■ Cuban slaveholders preferred to cross this breed 
of dog with the English mastiff, thereby securing an ani- 
mal that possessed the fine nose of the bloodhound and the 
controllable disposition of the mastiff. 




The Bloodhound. 

The notice of the poetical and pictorial artist has been 
frequently attracted to the majestic head of this dog, and 
there is no doubt he is deserving of it. He excels the whole 
animal creation from this point of view, as the greyhound 
surpasses them in elegance of outline and grace of move- 
ment. 

It is somewhat remarkable that two members of the ca- 



346f 



MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 



nine race sliould be possessed to this full extent of these t\vo 
iittributes so different in themselves. In consequence of 
this hound l)eing used to track deer and sheep-stealers by 
the scent of the lilood dropped on the track, tlio prefix 
" blood " has been given to this hound. He was em])loyed 
to follow the body-scent of men and animals on accomit of 
his fine nose, and in this manner he was foi'merly employed 
to capture runaway slaves ; bnt becoming almost unman- 
ageable when he overtook them, the English mastiff, or a 
cross between this mastiff and bloodhound, generally was 
preferred on account of his greater amenity to the control 
and discipline of his master. The reason we specially men- 
tion the bloodhound is, that he being an uncommon animal, 
and seldom, seen in this country, and being possessed of such 
a noble head and remarkable powers, Ave consider him well 
worthy the prominence given him in this work. 




The Greyhound. 

This dog naturally differs from the bloodhound; the blood- 
hoiuid follows his game by his wonderful sense of smell, 
while the greyhound depends solely on his sight and re-. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 



247 



mai'kable speed. While in San Jose, Cal., a particular and 
higlily-esteemed friend, Mr. Frank McKiernan, presented 
nie with a fine young greyhound, which I valued highly; 
When at Livermore I thought I would take the pup out for 
a little run. Suddenly a hare jumped up, and to my 
great astonishment she sprang after him at full speed, al- 
though she had never seen one before. She chased it so 
close that she caused him to turn four times within half a 
mile. It will be seen that the hound was obeying the laws 
of lier nature in giving pursuit to the hare, as she had re- 
ceived no training whatever. My dog, AVilliam, well- 
known over the greater part of the United States, was 
a splendid trick-dog of the bull-terrier type, but his natural 
inclination was to fight. He would attack a dog four times 
his size, and oftentimes would attack his master when 
closely pushed. I will mention William's tricks, and how 
to teach a dog to perform them, further on. 




The Setter. 

The setter is a handsome, bright, and highly- valued ani- 
mal for all the purposes of finding and setting small game, 
as well as for recovering birds, etc., after being shot. He 
is also susceptible of being trained to do an immense number 
of tricks, such as returning to a store and selecting a letter 



248 MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 

left by his master among many others, or finding your pow- 
der-flask, picking up your pocketbook, if dropped accident- 
ally, going to the house and bringing you any desired gar- 
ment, etc. This dog requires no training to find and set 
birds in the fields and bush, as he does this work naturally. 
Good setters have been known to bring as high as $500. 




The Mastiff. 

The mastiff, in appearance, resembles the bull-dog about 
the head, but with the ears dependent ; the upper lip falls 
over the lower jaw ; the end of the tail turns up, and fre- 
quently tlie fifth toe of the hind foot is moi-e or less devel- 
oped ; the nostrils are separated by a deep groove ; his coun- 
tenance is grave and somewhat sullen, and his deep-toned 
bark can be heard at any hour of his watchfulness. He is 
much taller than the bull-dog, but not so deep in the chest. 
His head is large, compared with the size of his body. It 
is generally believed that the mastiff is an original breed pe- 
culiar to the British Islands. He is generally used as a 
watch-dog, and his large proportions make quite an impres- 
sion on a stranger, especially during the still hours of night. 
It is with the greatest vigilance that he watches the property and 
abode of his master, never neglecting his duty. Nothing will 
induce him to foi'sake his watchfulness over anything placed 



MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 



249 



in his charge to guard. His attachment to his master, and 
great appreciation of kindness and favors bestowed on him, 
is fully as great as shown by the most diminutive canine, 
notwithstanding his great size, commanding ap])earance and 
faithful watchfulness over his master's abode. The natural 
instinct of this dog is unmistakably that of a faithful watch- 
dog, and he requires little or no training for this purpose. 




The Poodle. 

From what particular breed the poodle descended is 
unknown, yet all his peculiarities of form, size, and suscep- 
tibility to training have been remarkably well retained. 
He was originally a water-dog, as is amply shown by his 
natural propensities while in a domesticated state, and he 
is the easiest trained and educated of any other dog. As 
sporting dogs they are not recognized to any extent. His 
great attachment to his master, the great number of useful 
tricks which he can be trained to perform, make him the 
most companionable of all dogs. 

It is customary to strip the poodle of his natural long 
curly hair from the portion of the body back of his shoul- 



250 MANAGEMENT OP THE DOG. 

ders, leaving parts of Iiis head and forward i)arts as nature 
intended, as shown in the cut ; the contrast between the 
pai'ts of his body may give a pretty effect, but is liable to 
be the cause of bringing rheumatism, to which disease this 
dog is very liable. 




Smooth Rat-Terrier. 
This dog has a convex forehead ; pointed muzzle ; proTni- 
nent eye ; short fur j moderate-sized ears, half erect. He 
is a most useful dog about the house and farm, having no 
superior as a destroyer of rats, weazels, polecats, etc., for 
which service he requires no training, his natural propensi- 
ties guiding him in his work. There are the i-ough and 
smooth terriers ; the rough dog probably obtained his 
shaggy coat from the cur, and the smooth terrier may de- 
rive his from the hound. Was it not for this very useful 
dog many a granary and barn would be the scene of an im- 
mense loss of grain by rats. The terrier is quick and active, 
and easy to train for the i)erformance of many novel and 
interesting tricks. 

Collie, or Shepherd Dog. 

This animal is used for the purpose of watching, return- 
ing stray .sheep to the flock, heading off, guiding and driving 
sheep, as well as protecting them from wild animals and 
dogs. He is also a faithful house watch-dog, of good dispo- 



MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 251 

sition. He is used extensively by the rancliers througliout 
California and Oregon. The hair on this dog is long and 
inclined to be shaggy, his snout sharp, body full and well- 
rounded, legs of moderate length ; tail has tine brush, simi- 
lar to that of a fox. He is capable of standing an unusual 
amount of exposure to wind, rain, snow and cold, his fine 
long hair providing him ample protection. 

Among those dogs most readily trained to perform tricks 
are the French poodle, water spaniel, setter and pointer. In 
£act, any common cur such as we have illustrated on page 255 
can be taught to perform many interesting and amusing 
tricks, as will be shown fai-ther on in this work. 




Training the Shepherd Dog. 

After you have selected the kind of a dog you desire to 
train — one fi'om six months to a year old — take him into 
some large room or lot with a high fence, being careful that 
there is nothing to interfere with your work, or any place 
for the dog to crawl through and out of the room or lot. 
Take your dog into the place prepared for his training. It 
is preferable to get an animal unaccustomed to being played 
with by boys and also one unused to the words of command 
made use of to other dogs. 



252 MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 

The first tiling to teacli liim is liis name and to obey 
promptly, when you call him by name and order him to 
come to or go from you. He must at first be taught to mind 
by the use of a single word, and when accustomed to the 
use of a single word as here (emphasizing here), teach him 
to obey by the use of two or more words, such as " come 
here" "lay down," etc. There are many ways of teaching the 
dog, as well as other animals, but our methods for teaching 
him will be very simple and efiectual, being applicable to 
every case. If we teach the dog by coaxing, he will come 
only when he feels disposed to, and is liable to disobey at a 
time when we are extremely anxious to have him obey our 
commands, therefore we resort to other means than by coax- 
ing. Most writers claim that it will take the dog three or 
four days to learn his name by their methods — we propose 
by our method to teach him in ten or fifteen minutes. Place 
a strong strap or collar about his neck — there is a 
patent collar for this particular purpose, but is unnecessary, 
as the above-mentioned strap or collar will answer all re- 
quirements and inflict no cruelties on the animal. Attach 
a cord to the collar, long enough to reach across the I'oom or 
enclosure ; take hold of it about six or eight feet from the 
dog, and say " Here," or any other word you propose using 
when you want him to come to you. A German, French- 
man, Italian, or, in fact, a person of any nationality, will, 
of course, use whatever word suits his language, and what- 
ever word he may use, it is evident the dog will not under- 
stand it ; so jerk on the cord sharply, using whatever word 
you intend using to have him come to you. This will have 
a tendency to hurt the dog a little at first. Then move a 
little from him and repeat the word and the jerking^ 
always using the word first, followed quickly by pulling on 
the line. As soon as the dog shows any signs of coming 
toward you in answer to your commands, approach, and 



MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 253 

by caressing him, encourage his obedience in the future. 
After fondling and kindly treating him for a little while, step 
away from him further than before, and repeat the operation 
until he will come to you from any part of the room or en- 
closure, at the word of command — " Here ! " When you 
get him to come to you, say " do " in place of saying " that 
will do." This lesson will occupy about thirty or forty 
minutes, and will be sufficient for the first time. 

On the conclusion of the lesson, romp and play with him, 
so that it will not appear like a long lesson. Duiung the 
training of the dog, allow no one to approach or speak to 
him, and never permit him to be fed by any one but your- 
self When the dog has had a good rest, begin again as be- 
fore with the coi'd and collar, saying to him, " Come," at the 
same time palling him with the cord toward you, should he 
fail to obey. If he comes at your word of command, kindly 
treat and encourage him. Then you can begin to teach 
him to go from you, at the word " go." This you can do 
by leaving the room door open, or by getting a piece of meat 
and throwing it from you, and encouraging him to go after 
it. When he understands how to go, then teach him to 
halt, by holding him with the cord when he is going after 
the meat or toward the door. In fact, this dog wants to be 
taught obedience only, and his natural instinct will teach 
him to drive and care for the sheep. 

To teach the dog to take hold of anything, first get a piece 
of stout cloth or rope, and get him to take hold of it, at the 
same time using the word " Hold ;" and when he lias held 
it long enough, say to him, " Do," in place of "That 
will do," and repeat this performance until he will readily 
and willingly take hold and let go of the rope wlien ordered 
to do so 

When he has accomplished these things properly, procure 
a gentle cow and encourage the dog to hold on to her tail 



254 MANAGEMENT OP THE DOG. 

until you give liim the word to let go ; and then you may 
take him along, accompanied by other dogs, to drive the 
cattle, encouraging him to drive them. At the same time 
do not send him after cattle unused to dogs, or they may 
turn and frighten him. After doing this a few times, 
take a well-broke dog along that has been taught to drive, 
and let your new dog have a chance to see the old dog work. 
The young dog will require very little encouragement to 
learn to drive and work with sheep and cattle. After hav- 
ing learned to come, go, take hold, let go, etc., his natural 
propensities will direct his future efforts. 

TEACHma THE DOG TRICKS, 

Many amusing tricks may be taught the dog, that will 
make him appear very intelligent. As I have before said, 
much depends on the breed ; a dog of the poodle family may 
be taught to perform one set of tricks, while one of the 
bloodhound, terrier or greyhound family may be taught to 
perform things entirely at variance with those of the poodle. 
"When selecting a dog to train, I always get one that is con- 
sidered very difficult to train — % mongrel or common cur. 
If we select a wsll-brad dog, that is cansidered very intelli- 
gent, we could claim but very little credit for having such a dog 
perform interesting tricks ; therefore, I would advise the se- 
lection of the former kind for a trick-dog, by which course 
the trainer will receive greater credit than the dog for his 
clever performances. 

The reader must bear in mind the necessity of giving the 
dog prlma,rj/ lessons before undertaking to instruct him in 
the lessons pertaining to the grammar department' of his 
course [of instructions, or, in other words, teach him the 
simplest first, then the more difficult tricks. My celebrated 
dog William was trained to drink when he was not thirsty 
and to" eat when not hungry. He was a cross between the 



MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 



bull-dog and terrier, and did not have the appearance of a 
dog susceptible of a high degree of education, yet he was 
trained to perform numerous difficult and interesting 
ti'icks. 

Having first taught your dog to obey every command 
promptly, proceed to teach him to sit up. This you 
can do by placing him in a corner in a sitting position, and 




Common Cur. 

should he attempt to come down, tap him lightly on the 
chin, and say, " Sit up !" Keep him in this position for a 
little while, and should he come down again, straighten him 
up, saying to him, " Sit upP' After he has sat in this posi- 
tion a little while, say to him, " Do," meaning that will do. 
The object in placing him in the comer is to furnish sup- 
port at tii'st, that he may not fall over. After he has learned 



256 MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG, 

to sit np well in the corner, sit him up against the wall and 
try the same thing; this will require more patience, as he 
can easily fall over to either side. When he has learned 
this well, take him from the wall to the middle of the floor, 
and set him up; but as he has no support whatever, it will 
require moi^e time and patience before he can accomplish the 
feat. When he sits up on the floor without support, then 
proceed to teach him to stand up. This you can do by 
takino' hold of his front feet with both hands and straight- 
ening him up, at the same time saying, " Up !" Then re- 
place him in the sitting position. Repeat this until he will 
stand up readily at the word " Up !" and sit down at the 
word " Down !" The trainer must bear in mind that this 
is not all to be accomplished in a single lesson, but requires 
several. Do not prolong the lessons until the dog becomes 
tired and inattentive. Next proceed to teach him to walk 
on his hind feet. This you can do by taking hold of his 
forvvai'd feet with both your hands and walking him forward 
and backward on the floor, at the same time saying to him, 
"Forward!" or "Back!" according to the way you require 
him to go. After he understands what you want him 
to do, holding on to him with your hands, you can then en- 
courao'e him to do it without holding on to him, by having 
him a little hungry, and inducing him with a piece of meat 
to rise up and walk after it, backward and forward. Next 
proceed to teach him to jump over things. The best way 
to get him to do this is to get a small bar or pole, six or 
eight feet long, placing one end of it on a box about a foot 
high, and the other on the floor ; then i)lace the cord on his 
neck, the same as in training him to come to you, and get 
on one side of the bar, with the dog on the other, saying, 
" Jump," at the same time pulling on the cord to induce 
him to do so. You might also have a small switch in your 
hand as a " persuader," using the switch at the same time 



MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 257 

yoii pull on the cord. After jumping over the pole readily, 
following yon over every time, induce him to jump over the 
b;ir closer and closer to the box, at which point the bar is 
liighest from the ground. Every time he jumps over fondle 
him, and by kindness show him that he has dune what you 
requii-ed of him. Now you can increase the height of the 
box to two feet, and repeat the lesson as before, until he will 
jump over a bar at any i-easonable height. 

In giving these lessons never use the word "jnmp" more 
than once, and then enforce your order. By this method 
the dog will soon find out that he is never punished except 
when he disobeys, and receives kind treatment and reward, 
with food, for prompt obedience. This prepai'es him to 
jump on the box, chair or stool. You can now take the bar 
away and make him jump upon the box. When he jumps 
up encourage him by kindness, then say : 

"Jump downy 

If he does as ordei-ed, proceed as before. Repeat this 
nntil he Avill readily do it at the words "jump up," or 
'•' down." 

The dog is now prepared to receive a higher and more 
difficult branch of his education. 

Get a Ijarrel to begin with ; prop it so as to have it solid ;; 
then stand at one end and teach the dog to jump on the^ 
barrel, and down, as you did when exercising him with the- 
box, chair or stool. Have the cord on the dog's neck,, hold- 
ing it with your left hand, all tliis time, so as ta compel; 
liim to take the position you desire. Then walk half way 
around the barrel, obliging the dog to keep his head to your 
left hand and his tail to your right. Get him to do this 
perfectly, before allowing him to attempt aiiy thing new — to, 
prevent his being confused. 

For each act you require of the- dog, use a different word 
of cominand and do not repeat it, but insist on promi)t 



258 MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG, 

obedience at the first command, and never neglect to kindly 
use him on the conclusion of a well performed lesson. After 
he has accomplished this part of the lesson, take the props 
from the sides of the barrel so it will roll ; compel your dog 
to get upon it, standing across the middle, with his sides 
toward the barrel ends ; pull gently on the cord — this will 
start the barrel to roll slowly toward you, as you always 
stand facing the dog. The movement of the ban-el necessi- 
tates the dog's changing and lifting his feet to balance him- 
self as it rolls along. Never permit him to squat down, but 
keep in an upright position while going through this exer- 
cise. Having gone on in this manner across the room, walk 
around to the other side of the barrel, compelling the dog 
to "about face" and begin to pull gently again on the cord, 
causing the ban-el to roll toward you. When he does this 
well without your pulling on the cord, take him down and 
give him a good rest. 

Next, order your dog up on the barrel, again obliging 
him to roll it first one way and then the other. When lie 
does this to your satisfaction, walk around to the end of 
the barrel and making him face you, with his head toward 
one end of the barrel, hold it, and say to him ^^ /Stop!" 
helping him at first, so he will not fall. Then go to the 
side of the barrel, the dog turning his head toward you, with 
his sides parallel with the ends of the barrel, and order him 
forward. He will start to moving his feet, of course, thus 
causing the barrel to roll forward. After he moves forward, 
reverse and stop the barrel satisfactorily, then teach him to 
steady the barrel, while he stands with his head toward the 
end. 

When he has learned the above portions of his lessons, 
block the barrel again, and proceed to teach him to lie down, 
sit up, and stand up on the barrel. 

When he has been taught well to stand erect on the floor, 



MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 259 

you can then make liim stand up on tlie box, and next on 
the barrel, and he will soon get the idea of standing up well 
on the barrel. 

After your dog has been advanced to this high degree of 
education, you can proceed to teach him to pick up and lay 
things down at your word of command. 

There are two ways to teach him to do these things. One 
would be to take a ball, or something he is used to playing 
with, getting him to run after it and bring it to you, mak- 
ing him drop it at your feet by putting your fingers in his 
mouth and pressing on the inside, at the same time saying 
" let go." 

Another way would be to place the object inside of his 
mouth, and compel him to hold it there until told to let go. 
The best way is to get a piece of meat, or anything he is 
fond of, and of a size to prevent his swallowing it. When 
you have succeeded in teaching him this, you can substitute 
some other object in ])lace of the ball or meat — for in- 
stance, a slipper or handkerchief. 

Teach him to pick up and bring to you any desired ob- 
ject, always being particular to call it by Jiame, so that hf? 
will become familiar wdth the sound as well as the sight of 
the object. Begin first with a single object, such as a boot, 
or hat. Step up close to it, making the dog take hold and 
pick it up, then step away, and calling it by name command 
him to bring it to you and place it at your feet, 
f' If he does it all right pet him. By teaching your animal 
this one trick thoroughly, with a single object, he will soon 
be enabled to distinguish the names of several things placed 
in a row. AVhen he can bring you any article asked for 
among a niimber of others, then substitute the color of the 
articles in place of their names, so when you order him to 
bring a slipper say to him " bring me the green slipper," 
placing great stress on the word which represents the color. 



260 MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 

By this course of training it will appear as though the dog 
could readily distinguish colors, when in reality you have 
only substituted the name of the color of the object in place 
of its name ; for example, if the slipper is green, say to him 
to bring you the green slipper, or the hlack slipper, or the 
blue slipper, and so on, until you can teach him to bring you 
a slipper of any prominent color you may name. 

By this course of treatment the dog will become able to 
distinguish one color from another, no matter what the ob- 
ject may be, whether it is a slipper, hat, paper, handker- 
chief or anything else. 

There is a great deal of deception practiced in the exhibi- 
tion of performing animals, by the skill of the trainer in 
directing their movements. 

Bemember, the trainer does the most of the tricks by his 
movements, for, after the dog has been trained to pick up 
things, he can do numerous tricks, such as telling the time 
by looking at your watch. Be careful you see the watch 
yourself, or the dog cannot perforin the trick. You place 
on the floor cards with the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 
0. Every number you wish him to pick up, step in front 
of the number. If it is not the one that you want, say to 
your dog : "Go on, sir, and tell me the time." If he picks 
up the right one, say : " Bring it here, sir !" Then ask 
him how much 3 and 6 are, and make him pick up the 
card No. 9. Then ask him how many days there are in a 
week. Give him the sign to pick up No. 7. Ask him 
how many days he likes to work, and make him pick up 
the cypher, and so on. You can see how numerous you 
can make his tricks. 

By having several dogs trained, each one in his line, and 
have them sit on a stool and perform in turn, will make a 
very intei-esting exhibition. Have the greyhound display 
his wonderful powers for leaping. When you require him 



MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG. 261 

to do this, have a pad for him to jump on, so as not to in- 
jure him as he alights. Have the setter perform tricks that 
require a fine nose ; the spaniel or poodle for the water 
tricks ; the bull terrier for those kind of tricks that require 
courage. 




Bull Terrier. 

If you want to make your dog siieeze, get a little snuff 
and put it on his nose. Say " Sneeze, sir !" In a short 
time he will sneeze if you point your finger at him. 

In the foregoing we have given instructions for training 
dogs to perform many amusing tricks ; the natural ingenu- 
ity of the experimenter will enable him to extend the list 
indefinitely. 



DISEASES OF THE DOG. 



Distemjyer. 

Distemper is a feverish disease, marked by a rapid loss of 
strength and flesh in proportion to the severity of the at- 
tack. It may occur more than once in the same individual, 
and at any period of life. It is generally met with in the 
puppy, and in the majority of cases the dog is afterwards 
exempt. The cause of the disease consists in the poisoned 
state of the blood, which may be produced either by conta- 
gion or by putrid emanations from filthy and overcrowded 
kennels. It is from the efforts of nature to throw off this 
poison that the vario-us symptoms are produced by which 
we know the disease. The symptoms difter in accordance 
with the difference of constitution of the aiiimal, also to 
the state of surroundings, air, etc. Distemper is either 
simple or attended by complications in the chest, head, 
belly, etc. Although they are all essentially the same dis- 
ease, the variations may be described as : 1st. Mild dis- 
temper. 2d. Head distemper. 3d. Chest distemper. 4th, 
Belly distemper. 5th. Malignant distemper. 

In almost all cases of mild distemper, the following symp- 
toms show themselves, with the additional symptoms pecu^ 
liar to each. The first noticeable thing is a general dullness, 
especially in the eyes, accompanied by a loss of appetite and 
a dislike for exercise and play. A short cough soon ap- 
pears, attended by a disposition to sneeze, and the dog ap- 
pears as though he hardly knew which to do first, cough or 
sneeze. While the dog is quiet in his kennel, the cough 



DISEASES OF THE DOG. 263 

and sneezing are seldom heard, but when brought out into 
the air, from the kennel, especially after he begins to run 
about and play, the mucous membrane is irritated and the 
cough begins, either by itself or alternately with sneezing. 
There is slight thirst, generally a warm, dry nose, a disor- 
dered state of the bowels, which may be either confined or 
relaxed, and a scanty secretion of highly colored urine. In 
a few days the dog loses flesh and strength, to a great ox- 
tent, and then gradually recovers. 

Head Distemper begins the same as in the mild form, 
and if there is any cough or sneezing it is very slight, some- 
times being imperceptible. It will be noticed that the whites 
of the eyes are covered with blood-vessels loaded with dark 
blood, and strong light appears to give pain. Very often 
this kind of distemper is accompanied by a fit of short dura- 
tion, at the beginning of the trouble, and leaves the dog in 
a state of torpor from which he can with difl&culty be 
aroused. If the brain is not relieved, the fi.ts recur at short 
intervals, the stupor increases, until the dog Ijecomes in- 
sensible and dies in violent convulsions. Chest distemper is 
an extension downward into the chest of the irritation which 
causes the cough. It thei-e generally sets up that kind of 
inflammation known as bronchitis, together with which, 
however, there is often inflammation of the substance of the 
lungs (pneumonia), or even of the external surface (pleurisy). 
Distemper of the belly is often caused by mismanagement, 
brought on by either the abuse of violent drugs or neglect for 
some time previous of the secretions. In the former case, the 
Ijowels become very much relaxed at the expiration of ten 
days from the commencement of a case of mild distemper, 
with constant diarrhoea, soon followed l)y the ])assage of 
large quantities of Ijlood. "When this comes from the small 
intestines it may be quite black and i)itchy, or when from 
the lower bowels it is red and florid. 



264 DISEASES OP THE DOG. 

Genei-ally these symptoms appeal* as the result of calomel, 
or other violent medicine ; sometimes they appear of them- 
selves. "When the bowels have become confined from neg- 
lect, while, at the same time, the secretion of bile has been 
checked, a very dangerous symptom, named "the yellows," 
shows itself, the name being given in consequence of the 
skin and white of the eyes being of a yellow color from tlie 
presence of bile. When this occurs without distemper, it is 
not so fatal ; but when it comes on during an attack of this 
disease, it almost invariably proves fatal. Malignant dis- 
temper may come on at first, the animal being, as it were, 
at once knocked down by the severity of the poison. At 
times it shows itself within a week or ten days after the 
first symptoms appear. It may follow either of the four 
kinds already described, being marked by an aggravated 
form of the symptoms of each. There are additional evi- 
dences of the poisoned state of the blood which present 
themselves in the four stages into which this disease has 
been divided. These stages are : 1st, incubation, duiing 
which the disease is hatching or brewing ; 2d, reaction, when 
nature is working to throw off the poison ; 3d, prostration, 
following these effoi'ts ; and, 4th, convalescence, wherein the 
constitution recovers its usual powers. 

In well marked cases of malignant distemper the four 
stages average about a week or ten days each, and as the 
treatment for each varies considerably, it is important to 
ascertain their existence. The period of incubation may be 
known by the symptoms common to mild distemper, as 
well as to other kinds. In the malignant form the secre- 
tions are disordered, the strength is lost more rapidly, and 
the appetite is almost gone. During the reaction the pulse 
becomes hard and quick, the breathing is much hurried, 
and is often much quicker than the pulse, without the ex- 
isteirce of any inflammation. It is important to notice this. 



DISEASES OF THE DOG. 265 

as, when such is the case, any lowering measures are im- 
proper. On the other hand, the pulse may be very high 
and strong, and the breathing labored, which, together with 
other unmistakable symptoms, require energetic and lower- 
ing treatment. At this time, also, are developed those 
dangerous affections of the brain, bowels, or liver, to which 
I have before alluded. "When this stage of jyrostration sets 
in the whole system is thoroughly prostrated, the dog is so 
weak that he is unable to stand, his strength is almost en- 
tirely gone, so that he must be drenched to keep him alive. 
The tongue, gums and teeth are coated with a black fur, 
and his breath is highly offensive. At this time an erup- 
tion of the skin shows itself, sometimes consisting in mere 
purple spots, in others of small bladders filled with yellow 
matter, but most frequently of bladders varying in size 
from a pea to half the size of a hen's egg, containing matter 
more or less stained with purple blood, and sometimes 
blood alone. 

On the skin of the belly, and inside of the thighs, this 
eruption is thickest, but sometimes extends to the whole 
body. It is considered a favorable sign, taken by itself, 
though it generally attends severe cases. Health gradually 
returns in the convalescence from malignant distemper, but 
great care should be taken, or a relapse is apt to follow, and 
is often fatal. In distinguishing the various forms of dis- 
temper from the diseases that most resemble them, it is nec- 
essary to bear in mind the peculiarity of distemper. In its 
malignant form, especially, is the rapid tendency to loss of 
strength and flesh which accompanies it. A common cold 
or cough is attended with slight fever, languor and loss of 
appetite, yet it may go on for some days without the dog 
losing much flesh, and with but small lo.ss of strength. So 
with ordinary diarrhoea — it requires a very severe attack to 
reduce a dog anything like the same degree which a few 



266 DISEASES OF THE DOG. 

days' distemper will cause. A dog with diarrhoea gets thiii, 
but does not become a living skeleton, as he does when af- 
fected with distemper ; neither does he lie exhausted in his 
kennel, powei-less to rise from his bed, and unable to relieve 
himself unless receiving support. The same applies to 
simple inflammation of the lungs, which may be treated 
with lowering medicine with good effect without reducing 
the dog too much ; while in chest distemper, even if the lo- 
cal symptoms are apparently as severe, a treatment half as 
energetic will be fatal from exhaustion following upon it. 

Tlie sequels of distemper are chorea, commonly called 
"the twich," and a kind o^ palsy, known as "the trembles." 
Both are produced by some mischief done the brain or spi- 
nal marrow in the coxxrse of the disease. They generally 
follow the kind desci-ibed as head distemper. Chorea is 
known by a peculiar and idiotic-looking drop in one fore- 
quarter when the dog begins to move, causing him to bob 
his head in a helpless manner. At times the twitch is only 
palatial, and at others almost universal, but disappears 
during sleep. Shaking palsy affects the whole body. It is 
more rare than chorea, which fact is fortunate, as it is con- 
sidered incurable. All lowering measures should be avoided 
in the treatment of the various forms and sequels of distem- 
per, as this is a most debilitating disease. 

Inflammation is always to be feared, attacking either the 
brain, lungs, or bowels, and as bleeding and other remedies 
of a similar tendency form the most active means for get- 
ting rid of inflammation, there is left only a choice between 
two dangers. In the general treatment there are two things 
to be attended to: First, avoid lowering the system, and in 
severe cases, support it by good diet, consistent with the 
avoidance of encouragement to inflammation. Second, take 
particular care that inflammation does not go far enough to 
destroy life, or to leave such organic change in brain or lungs 



DISEASES OF THE DOG. 267 

as shall i-ender the clog useless for pui'poses for which he was 
designed. This, in theory, is simple, but requires some 
experience in pi-actice. At times one is obliged to blow hot 
and cold at the same time, lowering the dog with one hand 
and })roj)ping him up with the other. Remember, always, 
that this disease has a natural tendency to recovery, the 
efforts of the powers of the system being to throw off a poi- 
son in the blood. Natui-e, therefore, requires to be aided, 
not opposed; the less interference with her operations the 
greater yoiir success. 

1. General Treatment — For the early stage give a mild 
dose of aperient medicine, such as castor oil and syrup of 
l)oppies in equal proportions. If the liver does not act 
give jalap and calomel. Avoid giving calomel if thei'o is 
j)lenty of bile in the evacuations. After the early stage of 
the trouble is passed give no medicine. Keep the kennel 
clean, dry, airy and warm, changing the litter often. Avoid 
exercise till the running of the eyes and cough have ceased. 
Give nourishing broths, thickened with rice, flour, or arrow- 
root, when there is dian-hcea. If the bowels are confined 
give oat-meal. If there is very little water ])assed give as 
a drench five or six grains of nitre, with half-teaspoonful 
of spirits of nitre every night. 

2. Head distemper requires energetic treatment in addi- 
tion to the above. From four to eight leeches may be ap- 
plied to the inside of the ears ; bathe the part with milk 
and water first. Then put in a seton to the back of the 
neck, first smearing the tape with blistering ointment. 
A])ply cold water to the head if it is very much affected, 
with a wet cloth or with a watering-pot. Give calomel and 
jalap to act on the bowels and liver, also a pill (one-half 
grain to one grain tartar emetic), twice a day. When the 
urgent symjjtoms have disapi)eared the dog will require 
supporting with beef tea and tonics. 



268 DISEASES OF THE DOG. 

3. Chest Distemper — Should there be inflammation, it 
sometimes becomes necessary to bleed, but it is better to 
avoid any such lowering measure, and use antimony or ipe- 
cacuanha. Mix one grain of either of these with half a 
grain of opium ; give twice or three times a day. If the 
trouble is long continued apply a blister to the chest, or rub 
in mustard mixed with vinegar. Should the breathing be 
more rapid than the pulse, stimulants will be required, 
such as the bark and ammonia mixture in No. 5. 

4. Distemper of the belly, attended with purging, re- 
quires the use of astringents. Opium is the best. The 
following has no equal : Prepared chalk, two drams ; laud- 
anum, one ounce ; mucilage of acacia, one ounce ; tinctvire 
of ginger, two drams ; water, five and one-half ounces. Give 
a tablespoonful every time the bowels are relaxed. The 
diet should consist of boiled rice with milk or broth, and in 
case of much thirst give rice-water only. 

If the bowels are confined, and, as generally the case, at- 
tended with "the yellows," take calomel, 3 grains to 5 
grains; rhubarb and aloes, of each 5 grains to 10 grains. 
Mix and form into a ball with water, giving twice a day till 
it acts freely. Should bile begin to flow, there is still greater 
care required to avoid checking the diarrhoea on the one 
hand, while on the other the exhaustion caused by it is often 
very great. Broth, thickened with rice or flour, must be 
given often, by force if necessary. Where there is great 
exhaustion from diai-rhoea, arrow-root and port wine will 
prove beneficial. 

5. Malignant distemper is less difficult to control than 
that in the head. The great thing is to avoid reducing the 
system in the early stage. A mild dose of oil given as de- 
scribed in No. 1 will be beneficial. After this, the less done 
the better till the usual weakness shows itself. There is no 
chance of recovery unless by resorting to strong tonics and 



DISEASES OF THE DOG. 269 

good food. For this purjjose there is no remedy like port 
wine or )>ark of ammonia. The former may be given, mixed 
Avith an equal part of water, and with the addition of a lit- 
tle sj)ice, snch as nutmeg or ginger. For the latter, take a 
decoction of liark, 1 oz.; aromatic spirit of ammonia, 1 
dram ; com])ound tincture of hark, 1 dram. Mix and give 
twice a day to a large dog, or half to a small one. If the 
bowels a,re relaxed, give the dog the astringent mixture, as 
in No. 4. Rest is absolutely necessary for the dog. 

GENERALLY PRESCRIBED MEDICINES AND 
THEIR ACTION ON THE DOO. 

Ajyerients. 

To quicken or increase the evacuation from the bowels, 
aperients or purges are given. Their mode of operation 
vary a good deal. Some cause an immense watery dis- 
charge, which, as it were, washes out the bowels ; others act 
merely by exciting the muscular coat of the bowels to con- 
tract ; while a third set combine the action of the other 
two. Some purges act upon and stimulate the small intes- 
tines, while others pass through without affecting them and 
act upon the large bowels alone, and others again act upon 
the whole canal, showing that the various purges act also on 
different parts of the canal. 

There is another point of difference in purges, depending 
on their influencing the liver, in addition, which mercurial 
purgatives surely do, as well as rhubarb and some others, 
which effect is partly due to their absorption into the circu- 
lation. They may be made to act by injecting into the 
veins, with the same effect and results as though swallowed 
and subsequently passed into the bowels. Purgatives are 
classed according to the degree of their eflect — into drastic 
purges, that act severely, and laxatives, acting mildly. 



270 DISEASES OF THE DOG. 

1. Purgative Injection — Castor oil, | oz.; spirit of tur- 
pentine, 2 drams ; gruel, 6 to 8 oz. Mix. 

2. A Good Aperient Ball — Blue pill, | scruple; com- 
pound extract of colocyntli, 1 scruple ; powdered rhubarb, 
5 grains ; oil of aniseed, 2 drops. Mix. Give to a large 
dog; but for a small one, give one-half or one-third. 

3. Strong Aperient Ball — Calomel, 4 grains; jalap, 14 
to 20 grains; linseed meal and water, one or two boluses, 
according to size. 

4. Castor Oil Mixture — Castor oil, | pt.; laudanum, ^ 
oz.; oil of aniseed, 1 dram ; oil, 2 oz. Mix, and give accord- 
ing to the size of dog, from one to three tablespoonfuis. 

A nti-sjyasmodics. 

Anti-spasmodics, as their name implies, are remedies 
which ai'e intended to counteract excessive muscular action, 
called spasm, or when in the limbs, cramio. 

1. Anti-spasmodic Injection — Laudanum, sulphuric ether 
and spirit of turpentine, each 1 to 2 drams ; gruel, 3 to 6 
oz. Mix. 

2. Anti-spasmodic Mixture — Camphor mixture, 1 oz.; 
sulphuric ether and laudanum, of each ^^ to 1 dram. Mix. 
Give every two hours till spasms cease. 

Alteratives. 

To produce a fresh and healthy action in place of previous 
disordered functions, alteratives are given. It is only by 
the results that the precise mode of action can be under- 
stood, and the utility of these medicines recognized. 
. 1. Plummer's pill, 2 to 5 grains ; extract of hemlock, 2 
to 3 grains. Mix, and give every night. 

2. Cod liver oil, from a teaspoonful to a tablespoonful, 
with one or two drops of wine of iron twice a day. 

3. Stinking hellebore, 5 to 8 grains ; powdered rhubarb, 



DISEASES OF THE DOG. 271 

2 to 4 grains. Mix, and form into a pill. Give every 
night. 

4. Podophyllin, ^ grain ; compound rhubarb pill, 3 
grains. Mix, and give once or twice a week until the liver 
acts freely. 

5. Liquor Arsenicalis — Dose, 7 drops to an average-size 
dog. Specially recommended for dogs rendered gross, from 
want of work and over-feeding. 

Anodynes. 
To soothe the general nervous system, or stop diarrhoea, 
and sometimes to relieve spasm, as in colic or tetanus, ano- 
dyne medicines are given. Opium is the principal anodyne 
used in canine medicine, and may be used in quite large 
doses. 

A nodyne Prescriptions. 

1 . For Long-continued Pui*ging — Diluted sulphui'ic acid, 

3 drams ; tincture of opium, 2 drams ; comjjound tincture 
of bark, 1 oz.; water, 6^- oz. Mix. Give tablespoonful 
every four hours. 

2. For Slight Purging — Prepai-ed chalk, 2 drams ; aro- 
matic confection, 1 dram ; tincture of opium, 5 to 8 drams 
rice-water, 7 oz. Mix. After every loose motion give two 
tablespoonfuls. 

3. Castor oil, 2 oz. ; tincture of opium, 1 oz. Mix by 
shaking. Give one tablespoonful night and morning while 
the bowels are loose. 

Astringents. 
Astringents, whetlier applied immediately or by absorp- 
tion into the circulation, cause contraction in those living 
tissues with whicli they come in coiiiact, whether in the in- 
terior or extei'ior of the body. They ai'e divided into as- 
tringents applied locally to external, ulcerated or wounded 
surfaces, and those administered by the mouth. 



272 DISEASES OF THE DOG. 

1. Astringent Ball, nseful in Diabetes or Hemorr- 
hage — Powdered opium, 2 to 3 grains ; gallic acid, 4 to 6 
grains; alum, 5 to 10 grains; powdered bark, 10 grains; 
linseed-meal, enough to form a ball for a large dog, or di- 
vide in two for a small one. 

2. Astringent Ointment for Piles — Gallic acid, 10 
grains; goulard extract, 15 drops; lard, 1 oz. Mix. 

3. Astringent Washes for the Eyes — Goulard extract, 
1 dram ; water, 1 oz. Mix. Or, nitrate of silver, 2 to 8 
grains ; water, 1 oz. Mix, and drop into the eyes with a 
quill ; or wine of opium to be dropped into the eye. 

4. Sulphate of zinc, 5 to 8 grains ; water, 2 oz. Mix. 

Blisters. 

In the application of blisters to the skin of the dog, great 
care should be taken to muzzle him, and remove the muzzle 
only at feeding-time. 

Bafore blistering cut the hair off with scissoi'S from the 
part to be blistered. 

Swsatinj Application for Enlarged Growths. 

Lard, one ounce ; red iodide of mercury, one drachm ; 
mix. Rub in a little every day until producing a watery 
discharge, then desist for a few days, repeating when neces- 
sary ; or paint with tincture of iodine every day until the 
desired effect is produce d. 

Emetics. 

Sometimes emetics are recpiired for dogs, but not often. 
Vomiting being a natural process with him, he seldom 
needs provoking. Emetics, if had recourse to too often, 
will cause his stomach to become so irritable that neither 
food nor medicine will remain on it. Their administration 
should be kept carefully within the bounds of absolute 
necessity. 



DISEASES OP THE DOG. 273 

1. Common Salt Emetic — Give a di'ench of one teaspoon- 
ful of salt to half the quantity of mustard dissolved in half a 
pint of warm water. 

2. Strong Emetic — Powdered ipecacuanha, 4 to 5 grains; 
tartar emetic, one-half to one gi-ain ; mix ; dissolve in a 
little warm water and give as a drench, to be followed by a 
half-pint of lukewarm water in a quarter of an hour. 

Liniments or Embrocations. 
This most beneficial remedy in use, when applied to tlie 
skin for the ])urpose of producing counter irritation, and 
specially useful in chronic rheumatism, colic, etc., is as fol- 
lows : Liquid ammonia (strong), laudanum, spirits of tur- 
pentine, soap liniment, each one-half ounce ; mix. 

Caustics. 

Substances which burn away the living tissues of the 
body, by the decomposition of their elements, are caustics, 
and are of two kinds : first, the actual cautery, consisting of 
the application of a burning iron, and known as firing ; 
second, potential cautery, by means of mineral caustics, such 
as lunar caustic, corrosive sublimate, potash, etc. 

Firing is seldom practiced on dogs, but it may sometimes 
be had recourse to with advantage. A very thin iron 
should be used. To stop bleeding from warts that have 
been cut from the mouth with the knife, or in a similar 
way for piles. 

1. Lunar Caustic, or Nitrate of Silver — This should bo 
kept handy in a wooden vessel made es2)ecially for it — val- 
uable to the veterinary surgeon. 

2. Blue Stone, or Sulphate of Copper — Should be rubl^ed 
freely into the parts affected. It is valuable for unhealthy 
sores, etc. 

Corrosive Sublimate is used to remove warts, but should 
be left to the use of practiced surgeons. 



274 DISEASES OF THE DOG. 

Expectorants 
Excite and promote a discharge of mucous from the lining 
membrane of the bronchial tubes, relieving inflammation 
and allaying cough. 

1 . Ipecacuanha Powder and Powdered Opium — Each one 
grain — confection enough to make a pill — give every six 
hours, 

2. Expectorant Balls— Ipecacuanha powder, 1 to 1| 
grains : powdered rhubarb, 1 to 3 grains ; compound squill 
pill, 1 to 2 grains ; powdered opium, J to 1 grain ; linseed 
meal and water enough to make a ball. Give night and 
morning. 

3. An Expectorant for a Recent Cough — Almond emul- 
sion, 1 oz.; tincture of lobelia, 10 to 15 drops; ipecacuanha 
wine, 5 to 10 drops ; extract of conium, 2 to 3 grains. Mix. 
To be given two or three times a day. 

4. An Expectorant Mixture for Chronic Cough— Syrup 
of poppies, 1 dram ; diluted sulphuric acid, 5 to 10 drops ; 
Friar's balsam, 10 to 15 drops ; mucilage, | oz.; water, ^ oz. 
Mix, and give two or three times a day. 

Cordials. 
Medicines acting as warm temporary stimulants, aug- 
menting strength and spirits when depressed, are cordials. 
They often relieve an animal from the effects of over-exer- 
tion. 

1. Cordial Drench — Sal volatile, 15 to 30 drops; infu- 
sion of gentian, |- to 1 dram ; tincture of cardamons, |^ to 1 
dram ; camphor mixture, 1 oz. Mix. 

2. Cordial Balls — Ginger, 20 to 40 grains ; powdered 
caraway seeds, ^ to 1 1 drams ; oil of cloves, 3 to 8 drops. 
Mix, and give 10 grains for a dose. 

Diuretics. 
Diuretics are remedies which promote the secretion and 



DISEASES OF THE DOG. 275 

di.scliarge of urine, the effect produced by each medicine 
being done in a different manner. Some act directly on the 
kidneys by sympathy with the stomach, while others are 
taken up by the blood-vessels, and, in their elimination 
from the blood, cause an extra seci'etion of urine. In either 
case their effect is to diminish the watery part of the blood, 
and thus promote the absorption of fluid effused into any of 
the cavities or into the cellular membrane, in the various 
forms of dropsy. 

1. Diuretic and Alterative — Nitre, 4 grains; iodide of 
potassium, 3 grains; digitalis, ^ grain; extract of gentian, 
5 grains. Mix, and give twice a day. 

2. Diuretic B.ill — Digitalis, |^ to 1 grain; ginger, 4 
grains; nitre, 6 grains; linseed-meal and water to form a 
jjall. Give night and morning. 

Worm Medicines. 

1. Male fern-root, 1 to 3 drams; oil, 10 to 30 drops, in 
tape-worm. 

2. Spirit of turpentine, 1 to 4 drams; tie up in a piece 
of bladder and give as a ball, for obstinate case of tape- worm. 

3. Arica-nut powdered; give 2 grains for every pound of 
the dog's weight. Good for worms. 

FehHfuges. 
Fever medicines allay fever, l^y increasing the seci'etions 
of ui'ine and sweat, and reducing the action of the heart. 

1. Fever Mixture — Sweet spirits of nitre, 3 drams ; min- 
dererus spirit, 1 oz. ; nitre, 1 dram ; camphor mixture, 6i ozs. 
Mix. Dose — -Give two tablespoonfuls every six hours. 

2. Febrifuge Pill — ^Calomel, 1 to 3 grains ; nitre, 3 to ri, 
grains; digitalis, -^- grain — confection to form a pill. To be- 
given every night. 

3. Tartar emetic, ]r grain; nitre, 3 to 5 graius — cpnf^p-. 
tiou to form pill. Give night and morning. 



276 DISEASES OF THE DOG. 

Washes or Lotions. 
Mange Wash — Calvert's carbolic was diluted with twenty 
times its bulk of water, and rubbed into the roots of the 
hair, in red mange. 

Ointtne7its 

Are greasy applications, by which means certain substances 
are brought in contact with the vessels of the skin. 

1. Digestive Ointment — "Venice turpentine, 1|- ozs. ; bees- 
wax, f oz. ; lard, 2 ozs. ; red precipitate, 1 oz. Mix. 

2. Mange Ointment — Lard, 1 oz. ; green iodide of mer- 
cury, 1 dram. Mix. Rub a small quantity every other 
day to the affected parts. 

Be careful not to leave any superfluous ointment on the 
surface of the body. Never dress more than one-fourth of 
the dog's body at one time. 

Iconics. 
Tonics increase the vigor of the whole body permanently, 
while stimulants only act for a short time. They are useful 
after low fever. 

1. Distemper Tonic — Compound tincture of bark, one 
dram ; aromatic spirit of ammonia, one drachm ; decoc- 
tion of yellow bark, one ounce ; mix. 

2. Tonic Pills — Ginger, two to Ihree grains ; bisulphide 
of quinine, one to three grains ; extract of gentian sufficient 
to make a bolus give twice a day. 

3. Tonic Mixture — Decoction of yellow bark, seven 
ounces ; compound tincture of bark, one ounce ; mix. 

Pose — Two tablespoonfuls two or three times a day. 

Stomachics 
Are prescribed particularly to increase the tone of the 
stomach. 

1. Stomachic Draught — Compound infusion of gentian, 



DISEASES OF THE DOG, 277 

one ounce ; tincture of cai-clanions, one-half dvam. ; tinc- 
ture of ginger, five drops ; mix. To be given twice during 
the day. 

2. Stomachic Pill— Powdered rhubarb, two grains ; ex- 
tract of gentian, five grains ; mix, and give twice a day. 

St^/ptics. 

Remedies having a tendency to stop the flow of blood 
from either internal or external surfaces, are known as sty[)- 
tics. They are made use of by either the mouth or by direct 
application to the i)art, in the shape of a lotion, and also by 
the actual cautery, which is the best for external bleeding. 

Internal Styptics— For bloody urine, or bleeding from the 
lungs: Tincture of matico, ^ to 1 oz.; superacetate of lead, 
12 to 24 grains; vinegar, 2 drams; water, 7 to 7|- oz. Mix. 
To a full-sized dog give two tablespoonfuls two or three 
times a day. 

Administration of Remedies. 

It is often very difficult to administer i)hysic in any shape 
■without some little patience and knowledge of the temper of 
the dog. Even the keeper of a large, powerful dog of a 
savage temper, can with difficulty control him. A resolute 
man with his hands properly guarded by gloves, can easily 
handle a dog of less than 40 or 50 pounds weight. 

To give a pill or bolus to a small dog, place him gently 
into the lap of the operator, and laying hold of the space 
between the canine teeth and the molars on each side, with 
thumb and forefinger of the left hand, force the mouth open 
and drop the pill into the throat with the right hand, follow- 
ing it rapidly with the forefinger, and pushing it down as 
far as can be reached with the finger. Keep the mouth closed 
for a few seconds to give the pill time to reach the stomach. 
To treat a large dog, he must be backed into a corner, then 
straddle over him and put a thick cloth into his mouth ; 



278 ] DISEASES OF THE DOG, 

bring the ends of this over his nose and hold with the left 
hand. An assistant then takes hold of the lower jaw with 
the aid of another cloth, if necessary, and wrenches the 
jaw apart ; the right hand of the operator pushes the pill 
or bolus down the throat, being careful, as before, to keep 
the head up and the jaws closed for a few seconds. The 
manner of drenching is either to pour the fluid down, using 
the cheek as a funnel, or to open the mouth as for a pill or 
bolus, and pour it down the throat by means of a sauce- 
ladle or water-bottle. Keep the mouth closed directly the 
fluid is received, to force the dog to swallow it. 

Mange — No. 1. 

This disagreeable and loathsome disease, although very 
prevalent, is but imperfectly understood, from inattention 
and want of knowledge of location and treatment. The 
dog rapidly becomes weakened and debilitated, and is too 
often abandoned by his owner to his fate. By adhering to 
the following directions the disease will rajmlly yield, your 
])et and companion will become again a sprightly creature, 
bounding before you in healthy, agile life. 

The most common form of the mange is produced by the 
pi-esence of a small parasite, invisible to the naked eye, and 
similar to the pai-asite which appears as the ifcch, on the 
human body ; and can be conveyed to the healthy from the 
diseased dog by sim])le contact, the i)arasite i-eadily leaving 
the emaciated victim to fasten upon a healthy subject. The 
dog, when jierceived to be affected, by the fact of scratching, 
should be examined, and there will be seen small, red 
])oints, like flea-bites. These eventually pustulate, and e.K- 
ude a thin, irritating liquid or matter. There are many 
recipes. The best and simplest is : 

Take Ung. Hydi'arg 2 ^z. 

Oil of Tar J oz. 



DISEASES OF THE DOG. 279 

Sulpliur Sub 8 oz. 

Whale Oil, aboiit 8 oz. 

Mix thoroughly, and after shaving the hair from the part 
affected, and washing well the entixe body of the dog, apply 
carefully and Avell. After the explication of three days, 
wash off and apply in the same jnanner, and again in less 
than a week, if it seems necessary. 

This remedy is witliin the reach of every one, and I have 
found it absolutely efficacious. 

Mange — No. 2. 

This species of mange, being deeper in the skin, is not as 
contagious as the first fox'm. Dogs infected may associate 
with healthy animals, yet not extend the disease. For this 
reason many persons have denied the contagiousness of the 
mange. 

This feature in follicular scabies is accounted for by the 
habits and situation of the parasite. It only leaves the body 
of the dog when carried off by the fluid thrown out in the 
follicle. The slightest accidental contact suffices for its 
ti-ansference from the diseased to the healthy dog, and 
spreads with remarkable energy. 

Symptoms — First, hot tumefactions of the skin take place 
and are usually patched witli red, and blotchy. Soon small 
pimples show themselves, rapidly becoming pustular, break 
and exude serum, and (in extreme cases) pus, which forms in 
scabs or crusts. The skin becomes thick and chapped, as 
in common mange. The disease usually begins on the head, 
extending thence all over the body. It is very obstinate in 
yielding to treatment and is of long duration. 

Treatment — -The best results have been attained by the 
use of the following : 

Acid Acetic 2 drams 

Oil of Terebinth 2 drams 



280 ' ' DISEASES OF THE DOG. ^ 

Oil of Tav I oz 

Ung. Hydrargi 1 oz 

Sulphur 8 oz 

Whale Oil 10 oz 

Mix tlie whole thoroughly and rub the affected parts for 
five minutes. In forty-eight hours wash off with soft soap 
and warm water. When dry apply to the surface whale 
oil ; the following day repeat the ointment — dressing with- 
out washing. Repeat the operation in a week. 




CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Anodyne Stimulating Liniment 116 

Anatomy of the Horses' Foot . 125 

Administration of Remedies 277 

Applying the Shoe 188 

Age of the Horse 54 

Aperients 269 

Anti-Spasmodics 270 

Alteratives 270 

Anodynes 271 

Anodyne Prescription 271 

Astringents 271 

Ai'omatic Powder 228 

Anodyne Balls 230 

Anodyne Drenches 230 

Apply the Strap 233 

Balky Horses 40 

Bots 97 

Balls for Farcy 118 

Blood Spavin 96 

Bare Feet for Farm Horses 120 

Bull Terrier 261 

Bloodhound 245 

Bruise or Sprain 116 

Blisters 272 

Blistering Paste 227 

Colic Remedy 89 

Catarrh or Cold 91 



u 

Page. 

Cure of Farcy. . . . . ., 103 

Curb Ill 

Condition Powders 112 

Condition Powder 119 

Caustics , o 117 

Cough Balls 118 

Cooling Liniment 115 

Concluding Remarks on Shoeing 221 

Collie, or Shepherd Dog. . 250 

Common Cur 255 

Clips . 180 

Colic Flatulent ..... 89 

Contracted Feet lOG 

Colic Spasmodic 87 

Cooling Lotion 232 

Caustic for Dogs. 273 

Cordials 274 

Cough Powder . .227 

Cooling and Diuretic Drink 228 

Cordial and Anodyne Ball 228 

Cordial Balls 230 

Condition Powders 231 

Diabetes Remedy 118 

Different Dispositions and Temperaments of the Horse.. 45 

Diseases of the Horse and their Ti'eatment 82 

Diuretic Drops 113 

Diseases of the Dog . , 262 

Dog Medicine. 269 

Diuretics 274 

Diuretic Alterative Balls 228 

Diabetes Remedy 229 

Diuretic Ball 229 



Pace. 

Emetics 272 

Expectorants 274 

Eye of the Horse 8 

Fatal Disease of the Foot 102 

Fonuder .108 

For New Strains IIG 

For Bloody Urine 118 

For Inflamed L3g, Galled Bade, &c 115 

Febrifuges 275 

Fever Balls 229 

For the Appetite 230 

Glanders 97 

Grease Heels 100 

Growth of the Hoof 142 

General Management of the Hoof. 212 

Greyhound 246 

How to Break a Colt Properly 23 

How to Break a Bad Halter-Puller 42 

Heaves 9G 

Healing Compound 117 

H. Sample's Horses and Dog William 243 

Hoof 131 

Hook, the Use of 232 

Healing Preparation 114 

Hoof Ointment 232 

] ntroduction 3 

Jncural)le Diseases 119 

Instructions to Farriers 217 

Kicking Horses 37 



IV 

Pace. 

Lung Fever 83 

Lockjaw or Tetanus 97 

Lampass 99 

Liniment of Extraordinary Mei'it for all Pm-poses 112 

Liniment for Open Wounds 114 

Liniment for Foul Ulcers 115 

Liniment for Cooling External Inflammation .115 

Liniment for Inflamed Leg, Galled Back or Shoulders. .115 

Lice on Horses 112 

Liniments or Embrocations 273 

Liquid Blister 227 

Laxative Alterative Balls ..,,... 228 

Management of the Horse 23 

Mange Treatment Nos. 1 and 2 102 

Magic Liniment 116 

Mild Caustics .........117 

Management of the Dog 244 

Mastiff 248 

Mixed Balls .230 

Mange — Dogs 278 

Nasal Gleet and Tx-eatment ........................ 103 

Nerve Operation 105 

Ointment for Healing Cuts, Galls, etc . 114 

Ointment 276 

Preliminary Remarks ............................ 5 

Poll-Evil and Fistula of the Withers 93 

Preparing the Hoof 149 

Purchasing a Horse 225 

Poodle 249 

Quitter 101 



V 

Page. 

Ringbone 104 

Rasping the Hoof 195 

Recipes — Promiscuous , 227 

Runaway Horse 36 

Recipes to Soften Horses' Feet 232 

Senses of the Horse , 12 

Sti'angles or Distemper 92 

Sweeny 94 

Spavins — Two Kinds 94 

Scratches — Cure 101 

Sprains in the Stifle 105 

Shoulder- Joint Lameness Ill 

Sticking Plaster for Cuts and Wounds 115 

Shoeing 146 

Shoeing of Defective Limbs 210 

Streets and Roads 214 

Smooth Rat-Terrier 250 

Shoe 165 

Setter 247 

Shoeing Horses 121 

Sprain and Bruise 116 

Shoeing the Horse 202 

Splendid Liniment 230 

Sweating Application 272 

Stomachs 276 

Styptics 277 

Sore Tongue 227 

To Break a Horse that is Afraid of a Locomotive 51 

To Strengthen the Tendons after Hard Driving and Re- 
duce Swelling of the Legs 100 

Treatment of Cuts and Wounds 113 

Training the Shepherd Dog 251 

Trick- Dogs 254 



Page, 

To Teach the Horse to Bow 237 

Trick Horses— To Teach 233 

Teaching the "Dog to Sit up ...................... . 255 

Teaching the Dog to Stand up . 256 

Teaching the Dog to Walk on his Hind Feet ..256 

Teaching the Dog to Jump 256 

Teaching the Dog to Jump on a Box or Chair 257 

Teaching the Dog to Roll a Barrel 257 

Teaching the Dog to Stand on his Hind Legs on a 

Barrel 258 

Teaching the Dog to Pick up or Lay down Objects .... 259 

Teaching the Dog to Distinguish Colors 259 

Teaching the Dog to Tell the Time of Day 260 

Teaching the Dog to Multiply and Subtract 260 

Teaching the Dog to Sneeze 261 

Tonic Diuretic Ball 229 

Tonics 276 

Tonic Ball 228 

Teaching the Horse to Lie Down ................... 233 

Teaching the Horse to Sit Up 235 

Teaching the Horse to Follow You 236 

Teaching the Horse to Pick Up a Hat. .............. 236 

Teaching the Horse to Shake his Head 237 

Teaching the Horse to Answer Questions. 238 

Teaching the Horse to Take a Handkerchief Off his 

Foot 240 

Teaching the Horse to Get on a Box .240 

Teaching the Horse to Walk Around the Box on his 

Front feet 240 

Teaching the Horse to Get a Handkerchief Off a Pole. . . 240 
leaching the Horse to Shoot a Pistol. ............... 240 

Peaching the Horse to Paw 240 

Teach inof the Horse to Find a Handkerchief 241 



Vll 

Paoe. 

Trick Horse " White Hawk " 241 

Teacliing the Dog his Name 252 

Teaching the Dog to Come to You 253 

Teaching the Dog to Go From You 253 

Teaching the Dog to Halt 253 

Wash for Reducing Inflamed Wounds 115 

Wash for Fresh Wounds 114 

Watering Horses 119 

Winter Shoeing 207 

Worm Medicines 275 

Washes, or Lotions 276 









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